To Ragoo A Breast Of Veal
From the treasured pages of Cookery book of Jane Webb, compiled by several people
Written by Jane Webb
To Ragoo A Breast Of Veal
"Bone the breast of veal and lard it with fat bacon very thick and fry it very brown in fresh butterr and take it out of the frying pan and drain it from the butterr and then put it into as much strong broth as will cover it with whole onions and sweet herbs and season it with whole pepper cloves mace and salt a slice or two of lemon let it stew till the meat is very tender then strain some of the liquor and add to it a glass of white wine and some capers and mushrooms morrels and truffels 2 anchovys boyl all these with a lump of butterr thick and lay the meat in the dish and pour the sauce over it you may put in the dish fryed Lambstone and sweetbreads and sausages garnish the dish with lemon samphire and barberries"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses a narrative, imperative style typical of the early 18th century—it assumes practical experience in the kitchen and omits precise quantities, times, and measurements. Spelling is phonetic and some terms, like 'Lambstone' (lamb testicles), have since fallen out of use. Instructions are given as a flowing sequence, with secondary ingredients—especially garnishes—added at the end as afterthoughts, rather than in formalized ingredient lists or steps. The structure depends on the cook's intuition and knowledge, revealing both the professional nature of the kitchen staff and a different relationship to standardized recipes than today's reader might expect.
Title
Cookery book of Jane Webb, compiled by several people (1738)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Jane Webb
Era
1738
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful glimpse into the culinary world of early 18th-century England, this manuscript offers a playful array of recipes and kitchen wisdom, reflecting the tastes and ingenuity of its era.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from the English manuscript household collection attributed to Jane Webb, dating approximately to the years between 1725 and 1750. The 'ragoo' was seen as a sophisticated dish fit for well-to-do households, often gracing the tables of country estates and urban gentry alike. During this period, English cooks increasingly borrowed French culinary methods—larding, rich sauces with wine and mushrooms, and elaborate garnishes were becoming all the rage. Ingredients such as capers, anchovies, and truffles reflect both continental influence and access to imported goods, highlighting both the cosmopolitan tastes and the growing reach of British trade in the early Georgian era.
A cook would have used a sharp boning knife to remove the veal's rib bones and a long, narrow larding needle to thread the bacon through the meat. The browning would be achieved in a heavy cast-iron or copper frying pan set over a wood or coal fire. Stewing and simmering took place in a large cauldron or deep stew pot, usually also over the hearth. Sauces were finished in smaller saucepans, and straining was done through fine cloths or metal sieves. Serving involved large platters and elaborate garniture arranged with tongs or spoons.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
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
- 3.3–4.4 lb breast of veal, boned
- 5 oz fatty bacon, for larding
- 3.5 oz (7 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 4–6 cups beef or veal stock
- 2 whole onions, peeled
- Bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp whole mace or pinch ground mace
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 2–3 slices lemon
- 4 fl oz dry white wine
- 2 tbsp capers
- 3.5 oz mushrooms (button or wild)
- 1.75 oz morel mushrooms (optional, or substitute with more mushrooms)
- 0.7 oz truffle (optional, or substitute with mushrooms/truffle oil)
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1.5 oz (3 tbsp) unsalted butter (for sauce)
- 7 oz lamb sweetbreads (optional)
- 3.5 oz small sausages (optional)
- Lamb testicles or kidney, fried (optional)
- Lemon slices, for garnish
- Handful of samphire (or young asparagus tips)
- Pickled barberries (or dried cranberries), for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by removing the bones from a 3.3–4.4 lb breast of veal.
- Generously lard (insert small strips) with about 5 oz of fatty bacon.
- In a large, heavy frying pan, heat 3.5 oz (7 tbsp) unsalted butter over medium-high heat and fry the veal until very brown on all sides.
- Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess fat.
- In a large pot, cover the veal with roughly 4–6 cups of strong beef or veal stock.
- Add 2 peeled whole onions, a bouquet garni of thyme, parsley, and bay leaf, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 4 whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon whole mace (or a pinch ground), 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 2–3 slices of lemon.
- Simmer gently, covered, until the meat is very tender, about 1.5–2 hours.
- Strain about 1 2/3 cups (14 fl oz) of the cooking broth into a saucepan.
- Add 4 fl oz (1 small glass) of dry white wine, 2 tablespoons capers, 3.5 oz each of mushrooms and (if available) a handful of morels and truffle (or substitute with additional mixed mushrooms), and 2 anchovy fillets (finely chopped).
- Simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in a large knob (1.5 oz/3 tbsp) of butter to enrich and thicken the sauce.
- Place the veal on a serving dish and pour the mushroom-caper sauce over it.
- Optionally, fry 7 oz lamb sweetbreads and 3.5 oz small sausages in butter until golden and arrange around the veal, along with slice-fried lamb testicles or kidney (if desired).
- Garnish with lemon slices, samphire (or young asparagus tips), and a scatter of pickled barberries or cranberries for a touch of color.
Estimated Calories
500 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 2 hours to cook the veal until tender. The recipe serves about 8 people, and each serving has approximately 500 calories. These numbers can vary if you add the optional garnishes or sides.
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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