Recipe Manuscript

Stewed Tongue For Lunch

Name: Stewed Tongue For Lunch
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT3H30M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 fresh beef tongue (1.2–1.5 kg); Water (enough to cover tongue in pot); 600 ml reserved beef tongue cooking broth; 300 ml port wine (ruby variety preferred); 120 ml (1/2 cup) red currant jelly (substitute with red grape jelly if currant unavailable); 1/4 teaspoon ground mace; Salt, to taste

1903

From the treasured pages of Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages

Written by Célestine Eustis

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Lunch Dinner

Original Recipe • 1903

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

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

Stewed Tongue For Lunch

"Boil a fresh tongue until it is tender and dress it ready for the table. Take a little more than a pint of the water it was boiled in and add to it half a pint of port wine, a small tumbler of currant jelly, a small pinch of mace, and salt to taste. Stew the tongue in this gravy for an hour, and serve in the gravy."

Note on the Original Text

Recipe instructions in 1903 were concise, assuming readers possessed foundational kitchen knowledge—like how to 'dress' a tongue or 'stew' a meat. Quantities were approximate ('a little more than a pint') and flavorings ('a small pinch of mace') flexible, relying on the cook's experience and palate. Spelling and terminology reflect both era and French influence: 'tumbler' for glass, 'water it was boiled in' for stock, 'gravy' meaning a sauce. Modern cooks need to interpret historical vagueness: a 'pint' approximates 473 ml, a 'tumbler' about 120–150 ml. The essence remains—an elegant, fruity, spiced sauce elevating tender tongue.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages (1903)

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

Writer

Célestine Eustis

Era

1903

Publisher

R.H. Russell

Background

Take a delicious journey back in time with this charming bilingual collection of Creole and American recipes, crafted for cozy households. Célestine Eustis blends French flair with Southern soul, guiding both the novice and seasoned gourmand through the distinct flavors and delightful traditions of old Creole kitchens.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from 'Cooking in Old Créole Days (La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages)', published in 1903 by Célestine Eustis. It offers a marvelous glimpse into turn-of-the-century New Orleans cuisine—a melting pot where French technique met Creole flavors and local ingredients. 'Creole' cookery drew on French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences, reflecting the cosmopolitan culture of New Orleans. Recipes like this stewed tongue use luxury items like port wine and currant jelly, signaling both festive hospitality and European sophistication, while rooted in resourceful household cooking.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

At the turn of the 20th century, cooks would have prepared this dish on a cast iron or enameled stove, boiling the tongue in a large stock pot. A sharp knife would be used to peel the tongue after boiling. The gravy would simmer in a separate or the same pot, and the stewed tongue would likely have been served in a deep serving dish, with ladle or big spoon for the savory sauce. Basic kitchen tools—a stockpot, ladle, kitchen knife, and serving dish—were the backbone of such recipes, made in modest kitchens or grand Creole dining rooms alike.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

3 hrs 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

1 fresh beef tongue (2.6–3.3 lbs)
Water (enough to cover tongue in pot)
2 1/2 cups reserved beef tongue cooking broth
1 1/4 cups port wine (ruby variety preferred)
1/2 cup red currant jelly (substitute with red grape jelly if currant unavailable)
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
Salt, to taste

Instructions

To prepare this 1903 Creole classic using modern methods, start by simmering a fresh beef tongue (about 2.6–3.3 lbs) in a large pot of water until thoroughly tender—this will typically take around 2–3 hours.
Once the tongue is cooked, peel away the tough outer skin and slice or present it whole as preferred.
Reserve approximately 2 1/2 cups of the rich cooking broth.
Add 1 1/4 cups of ruby port wine, 1/2 cup of red currant jelly, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace, and salt to taste.
Return the tongue to this luscious mixture and simmer gently for another hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
Serve slices of the tongue generously bathed in the fragrant port and jelly gravy.

Estimated Calories

420 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 15 minutes getting the ingredients and workspace ready, then 3 to 4 hours for cooking and simmering. Each serving has around 420 calories, and the recipe serves 6 people.

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.