A Calves Foot Puding
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720
Unknown Author
A Calves Foot Puding
"Sred your fat very small, then take a pound of beef suit sred very fine 3 quarters of currans a halfpeny loaf grated 4 eges well beaten a pint of good cream half a nutmeg a spoonful of white sugar a little salt a spoonful of flower boyle it an hour or half, if you bake it put in some candid lemon a little sack buter, & flower your dish lay puff paste at the bottom & edge of your dish"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a typical early 18th-century English kitchen hand, without standard spelling, quantities, or clear instructions that today’s cooks expect. Words like 'sred' for 'shred' and 'boyle' for 'boil' reflect period orthography. Instructions are laid out as a continuous prose, assuming a basic knowledge of kitchen practice from the reader. Lists of ingredients and step-by-step methods had yet to become the norm, and details like oven temperature or precise timings are notably absent.
Title
Cookbook of 1720 (1720)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1720
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe for 'A calves foot pudding' hails from around 1720 in England, when hearty, suet-based steamed puddings were both comfort food and celebration fare. Such dishes were common at grand tables and in modest homes alike, especially before the widespread adoption of baking powder. The pudding's rich mixture of fat, fruit, dairy, and eggs hints at the festive tables or significant family gatherings, where such a labor-intensive dish was worth the effort. The inclusion of 'sack' (a type of fortified wine) and candied lemon peel alludes to its role in English culinary opulence during the early eighteenth century.
The original cook would use a large wooden bowl and spoon for mixing. Suet was chopped with a heavy knife or scraped, and bread was grated by hand. The eggs would be beaten with a fork or whisk. For steaming, a cloth-lined pudding basin (earthenware or even well-greased tin) was used, tied tightly with cloth, then placed in a pot of simmering water over the hearth. If baking, a deep pie dish lined with home-made rough puff pastry would be used, likely baked in a wood-fired oven or before an open fire.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces beef fat (substitute: additional suet if needed)
- 12 ounces beef suet, finely shredded (if unavailable, use solid vegetable shortening or grated frozen butter)
- 12 ounces currants
- 4 1/4 ounces white bread crumbs (from half a small loaf, crusts removed)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 pint double (heavy) cream
- Half a whole nutmeg, grated
- 1/2 ounce white sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 ounce (1 tablespoon) plain flour
- Candied lemon peel (about 1 ounce), chopped, optional
- 1/2 fluid ounce sweet sherry or muscat ('sack')
- Butter (for dotting and greasing)
- Ready-made puff pastry (for lining the dish)
Instructions
- Begin by finely shredding 4 ounces of beef suet (a traditional hard fat from around the kidneys) and mix it with 12 ounces of beef suet chopped very fine.
- In a bowl, combine with 12 ounces of washed currants, the crumbs from half a small loaf of white bread (about 4 1/4 ounces), and four large eggs, beaten thoroughly.
- Stir in 1 pint of cream, then add half of a grated nutmeg, one tablespoon (about 1/2 ounce) of white sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and one tablespoon (about 1/3 ounce) of plain flour.
- Mix until well combinned.
- Grease a pudding basin or deep ovenproof dish with butter, dust with flour, and line the bottom and sides with ready-made puff pastry.
- Fill with the pudding mixture.
- If you bake the pudding, scatter a few pieces of chopped candied lemon peel and drizzle one tablespoon (about 1/2 fluid ounce) of sweet sherry (substitute for 'sack') over the top.
- Dot a few pieces of butter on top.
- Bake at 340°F for one hour, or simmer the basin in a water bath for 60–90 minutes if you prefer to boil.
- Serve warm.
Estimated Calories
650 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients, then about 1 hour to bake the pudding. Each serving has roughly 650 calories, and this recipe makes 8 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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