Recipe Manuscript

An Excellent Way To Do A Chollor Of Beefe

Name: An Excellent Way To Do A Chollor Of Beefe
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT3H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 kg beef flank; 50 g salt; 10 g saltpeter (or modern pink curing salt, use as per safety instructions); 750 ml dry red wine (Claret); 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 4-6 cloves (crushed); 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped; 450 g beef suet (or unsalted butter as substitute); 100 ml vinegar (for cleaning, optional); 100 ml stale beer (for cleaning, optional); Kitchen twine

1764

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Mary Puleston

Written by Mary Puleston

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Dinner Lunch Other

An Excellent Way To Do A Chollor Of Beefe

Original Recipe • 1764

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

An Excellent Way To Do A Chollor Of Beefe

"Take a flank of Beefe a handsome peice fitt to Roul· lay it into Brine· made with Saltpeter being first finely beaten· let it lye 2 or 3 days· lay it in Clarrat as much as will cover it· lett it lye halfe a day· yr Season it with nutmegg Clowes & Pepper some Sage & Tarragon shread small & Strained on yr meat· Roll it up & tye it with Packthread· put it into a pot just fit for it· put in yr wine it was Steeped in & a pound of beefe Suet to yr top of yr chollor and set it in an oven with household bread & let it be well Soaked· when yr take it up tye it a little with more Packthread· yr let it lye all night on a board· yr next day hang it up in a Roome where there is a fire· it will keep a quarter of a year· if yr find it to mould wash it with Stale beere & vineger and hang it up·"

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this era were written with brevity, omitting precise measurements, temperatures, or times, and relying on the cook’s judgment and experience. Spelling was highly variable: 'Chollor' means 'collar' (a rolled joint of meat), 'Clarrat' is 'claret', and 'yr' stands for 'your'. Instructions often skipped details considered obvious to practiced cooks—such as exactly how to tie the roll or how hot the oven should be—because the audience was knowledgeable household staff or the lady of the house herself.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of Mary Puleston - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of Mary Puleston (1764)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Mary Puleston

Era

1764

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A tantalizing compilation of 18th-century culinary wisdom, this collection artfully preserves the flavors, techniques, and charms of British cookery before 1764—inviting modern gourmets to savor a taste of history with every recipe.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from a mid-18th century English household manuscript compiled by Mary Puleston before 1764. At this time, preserving meats for storage was an essential part of domestic management, and such richly flavored preparations would have been a centerpiece for a well-off family's cold table. Beef was often brined and rolled for both flavor and longevity. The use of claret and aromatic spices reflects a period when imported wines and spices demonstrated both status and culinary sophistication in English country kitchens.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back then, the cook would use a large earthenware or wooden tub to brine and marinate the beef. Herbs would be chopped with a heavy knife or mezzaluna, and spice grinding was done with a mortar and pestle. The beef would be rolled and tied with linen thread. The whole roulade would be placed in a clay or cast-iron stewing pot, then baked in the side of a bread oven, alongside rising loaves. Cool, airy larders or smokehouses provided the proper environment for hanging and storing the finished meat.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

3 hrs

Servings

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

4.4 lbs beef flank
1.75 oz salt
0.35 oz saltpeter (or modern pink curing salt, use as per safety instructions)
25 fl oz dry red wine (Claret)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
4-6 cloves (crushed)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1 lb beef suet (or unsalted butter as substitute)
3.5 fl oz vinegar (for cleaning, optional)
3.5 fl oz stale beer (for cleaning, optional)
Kitchen twine

Instructions

Take a beef flank, around 4.4 lbs, and prepare a brine with 1.75 oz salt and 0.35 oz saltpeter (or pink curing salt if unavailable, using modern recommend ratios for safety).
Cover the beef thoroughly and let it rest in the brine for 2-3 days under refrigeration.
After brining, remove the beef and place it in a non-reactive container.
Pour over enough claret (a dry red wine; about 25 fl oz, one bottle) to cover the meat.
Let it steep for about 12 hours in the fridge.
Remove from wine, pat dry, and season the inside with a blend of 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 4-6 cloves (crushed), 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage, and 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon.
Spread the herbs and spices over the beef.
Roll the beef tightly, securing it with kitchen twine.
Place it in an oven-proof pot that fits the roll snugly.
Add the reserved wine and top with 1 lb of beef suet (or use unsalted butter as a substitute if suet is unavailable).
Cover tightly and bake at 300°F for about 2-3 hours, as you might bake a loaf of bread.
Once cooked, remove, reinforce the twine if needed, and press the roulade overnight on a board with a weight on top.
The next day, hang in a cool, dry place for storage.
It may keep for weeks, but refrigerate for food safety.
If any mold appears, wipe with a cloth soaked in a mixture of 3.5 fl oz vinegar and 3.5 fl oz stale beer, then hang again.

Estimated Calories

600 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will need about 30 minutes to prepare the beef, mix the brine, and season the meat. Brining takes 2-3 days, but this is mostly waiting. The wine soak needs another 12 hours, and the pressing overnight adds more resting time. Cooking the beef in the oven takes between 2 to 3 hours. Each serving contains roughly 600 calories, and this recipe yields 8 hearty portions.

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.