Recipe Manuscript

To Bake Beef Like Vinison

Name: To Bake Beef Like Vinison
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H30M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 kg beef clod or shoulder, sliced 1-2 cm thick; 250 ml dry red wine; 250 ml red wine vinegar; A few sprigs each of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme; 30 g coarse salt; 100 g pork fat or streaky bacon (for larding); 1/2 tsp ground cloves; 1/4 tsp ground mace (or substitute with nutmeg); Salt to taste; 500 g shortcrust pastry; 50 g unsalted butter; 500 ml dry red wine (for finishing); 30 ml (2 tablespoons) red wine vinegar (for finishing)

1775

From the treasured pages of Cookery and medicinal recipes of M.W.

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1775

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

To Bake Beef Like Vinison

"Cut a Clod of beef in pretty thin pieces then beat it a good while with a Staff lay it in steep in wine and vinegar a night parboil it in wine and vinegar of each a like quantity with sage rosemar and Thyme a quarter of an hour put into it a handfull of salt take it out and Lard it then boil it again in the same liquor Season it with Cloves Mace and Salt put it into paste which Sweet butterr and powder of Cloves when tis bakd put to it a pint of wine and 2 spoonfulls of Vinegar."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of the early 18th and 19th centuries were written without precise measurements, assuming a high level of kitchen literacy from the reader – quantities like 'a handfull of salt' or 'a quarter of an hour' depended on context and experience. Spelling and punctuation were inconsistent, reflecting the writer's education. Terms such as 'parboil', 'lard', and 'paste' (here meaning pastry) were common parlance, but may confuse modern cooks. The recipe flows as a continuous set of instructions, lacking clear ingredient lists or numbered steps, since these features only became common late in the 19th century.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookery and medicinal recipes of M.W. - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookery and medicinal recipes of M.W. (1775)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1775

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into British kitchens of yesteryear, this manuscript collection—attributed simply to 'M. W.'—whisks readers through cherished recipes and culinary wisdom passed down between 1700 and 1850. A treasure trove for those who savor the artistry of historical cookery.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe originates from an English household collection attributed to 'M.W.' from approximately 1700 to 1850. During this period, English cookery was evolving rapidly, influenced both by domestic traditions and burgeoning global trade, which brought spices like mace and cloves into the home kitchen. The recipe's aim was to make beef taste like venison, a luxury meat reserved for the aristocracy. Such dishes were popular amongst middling households aspiring to gentrified tastes, and so this recipe reflects both culinary aspiration and adaptive ingenuity. The period was a bridge between medieval techniques and modern cooking, with heavy use of marinades, spice blends, and pastry baking – all status-laden features of the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original preparation would have used a heavy wooden staff or pestle to beat and tenderize the meat, clay or earthenware pans to steep and marinate the beef, and a cauldron or large pot to 'parboil' the meat over an open hearth fire. Knives were made of steel and hand-larding was standard, inserting fat into the beef with a larding needle (an iron rod designed for this purpose). Baking was done in a brick or clay oven, often shared by several households, or in a metal Dutch oven set near coals. Stone mortars and wooden rolling pins would be used for spice grinding and pastry rolling, respectively.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

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

2.2 lb beef clod or shoulder, sliced 0.4–0.8 inches thick
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup red wine vinegar
A few sprigs each of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme
1 oz coarse salt
3.5 oz pork fat or streaky bacon (for larding)
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground mace (or substitute with nutmeg)
Salt to taste
18 oz shortcrust pastry
1.75 oz unsalted butter
2 cups dry red wine (for finishing)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (for finishing)

Instructions

Begin by slicing about 2.2 lb of beef (preferably from the clod or shoulder) into pieces roughly 0.4–0.8 inches thick.
Pound the slices gently with a rolling pin or meat mallet for 5 minutes to tenderize them.
Place the beef in a bowl and pour over 1 cup dry red wine and 1 cup red wine vinegar.
Add a few sprigs of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Let the beef marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, bring the beef and its marinade to a gentle simmer in a pot for about 15 minutes.
Add a generous handful of coarse salt (about 1 oz).
Remove the beef from the liquid and, with a small knife, make incisions to lard (insert thin strips of pork fat or bacon into) the meat.
Return the beef to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes in the same wine-vinegar-herb liquid.
Sprinkle ground cloves, a pinch of ground mace, and extra salt to taste.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Roll out a sheet of shortcrust pastry, line a baking dish, and lay the beef inside.
Dot with 3.5 oz butter and dust with ground cloves.
Cover with a pastry lid, brush with a little butter, and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
Once cooked, pour in 2 cups dry red wine and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar to moisten the pie before serving.

Estimated Calories

600 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the meat and get everything ready. Cooking includes simmering and baking, which together take about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Each serving has around 600 calories, and this recipe makes 6 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.