To Pott Beeff Ly. Carlisle
From the treasured pages of Cookbook
Unknown Author
To Pott Beeff Ly. Carlisle
"Take the lean of a thick flank of Beeff, and about half a pound of fatt Bacon free from rust, So beat it well in a mortar to gither and when you have beat it well Season it with pepper and Salt and a bit mace to your taste - then put it in an Earthen pot, and lay a little Beef Suet at the tope of it to keep it moist, then bake it very - tender, when it is tender Enough you must take it out of the pot, and Drain it from the Gravey, then put it in the pote you Designe to keep it in if there is any - then in it take it out, you must Clarify a little good Butter and pour it in while it is hot as much as will moisten it, then press it very Close doun, and let it Stand till cold, when it is Cold cover it with Clarifi'd Butter So keep it for your use"
Note on the Original Text
Recipe instructions from this period are terse and assume familiarity with kitchen practice—weights and measures are often approximate, relying on the cook's intuition. The spelling ('Beeff', 'pott', 'clarifi'd') reflects early 18th-century English, which had not yet standardized. The recipe walks through each step in narrative style, prioritizing actions over precise timings or temperatures, and often repeats important processes like draining and clarifying butter for clarity.
Title
Cookbook (1706)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1706
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step back to the early 18th century with this charming culinary collection, brimming with period recipes that tantalize the tastebuds and offer a delicious glimpse into historic kitchens.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from the early 18th century, specifically around 1706, in Carlisle in northern England—a region famed for its cattle and savory meat preparations. Potted meats were an essential way to preserve food before refrigeration: the slow baking and sealing under butter kept meat safe for weeks. Such recipes were common in well-to-do households and were enjoyed spread on bread or toast, or served with pickles. 'Potting' beef was a practical and luxurious approach to storing and intensifying flavor, and was a mark of clever kitchen management from an era when wasting food was unthinkable.
The cook would have used a large pestle and mortar for pounding the beef and bacon together into a coarse paste. The meat would then be baked in a ceramic or earthenware pot, sealed with a tight-fitting lid or a pastry cover. To clarify butter, cooks would melt it gently over a fire and skim off the foam for a clear golden liquid. Once packed, the meat was pressed down—often with a wooden disk or weight—to compact it tightly for storage.
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Servings
10
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
- 2.2 lb lean beef flank
- 8 oz fatty, unsmoked bacon (no rind or rust)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- A pinch ground mace (or small piece whole mace)
- 1.75 oz beef suet (or additional beef fat, or lardo as substitute)
- 2.5 oz clarified butter
Instructions
- Take around 2.2 pounds of lean beef from the thick flank and 8 ounces of fatty, unsmoked bacon (trimmed of any cured edges or 'rust').
- Cut both into small cubes, then use a food processor or meat grinder to pound and blend them together until you have a coarse paste.
- Season generously with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and a pinch of ground mace (or a small piece of whole mace if available).
- Pack the mixture tightly into a deep earthenware casserole dish or Dutch oven.
- Top with about 1.75 ounces of beef suet cut into small pieces to keep things moist.
- Cover and bake in a low oven (250°F) for about 2.5–3 hours until the meat is very tender.
- Once cooked, remove the beef from the pot and drain off any juices, allowing it to cool slightly.
- Transfer the drained meat into a clean storage container (preferably ceramic or glass) and press down firmly.
- Slowly pour over about 2.5 ounces of clarified butter, enough to thoroughly moisten and cover the top.
- Weigh the meat down slightly, letting it cool, and then top with another thin layer of clarified butter once cold.
- Store in the refrigerator, well covered, and serve as needed.
Estimated Calories
410 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Prep time covers cutting and blending the meat, while cook time is for slow baking in the oven. Calories are based on typical ingredient values, and servings assume average portion sizes.
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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