Recipe Manuscript

Lord Craven'S To Coller Beef

Name: Lord Craven'S To Coller Beef
Prep time: PTPT8H
Cook time: PTPT3H30M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.5–2 kg beef flank (thin end preferred); 15 g fine sea salt; 3 g freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon ground mace; 3 whole nutmegs, ground; 8 dried bay leaves, broken; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 10 g mixed fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram, or similar); 1 liter robust red wine (e.g., claret or Bordeaux); 300–400 g clarified butter

1703

From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book

Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1703

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

Lord Craven'S To Coller Beef

"Take a Flank of Beefe of ye thinn End of it & beat it very well, then take the thick skin of it, and lay it in a tray for a days, season it very mildly with salt, and beaten peper, then take a little Mace, 3 nutmegs beaten 8 Bay leaves 2 Cloves: of garlick a little bundle of sweet hearbs & a quart of deep Claret & turne it over for 7 hours, then season it no more but shake of ye spice & rowle it up very hard, & bind it very thick with pack threed then put it into a pot that will but Just hold it with the seasoning that remains in ye tray, And then Bake it after it is bake't, take it out of ye pott, & lett it lye till it be very cold then take of ye pack-threed, and Clarifie ye Salt that may come off ye pott, if any bake't to it, then take as much Butter as you think will fill up ye pott when ye Coller is in it. And when you have occation to use it, Break ye pott, But keep ye Coller hole; It will keep in ye pott 6 months if you please without danger"

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe uses period English, with spelling and phrasing characteristic of the early 1700s. Words such as 'Coller' refer to rolling and binding meat ('collared'), and 'pack threed' is old spelling for strong twine. The instructions are imprecise by modern standards, assuming the reader's prior kitchen knowledge: there are no times for marinating, except for 'a day' or '7 hours,' nor precise temperatures or measurements. Quantities and times had to be inferred and standardized for modern readers. Modern metric conversions approximate the original intentions, using today's familiar ingredients and kitchen practices.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book (1703)

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

Writer

Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Era

1703

Publisher

Coome Abbey

Background

A delectable manuscript brimming with 18th-century English delights, Lady Craven's receipt book whisks readers from luscious cakes and puddings to savory feasts and creamy cheeses. Elegantly organized and sprinkled with recipes from an illustrious social circle, this culinary collection offers a sumptuous taste of aristocratic home economics.

Kindly made available by

Penn State University

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from the manuscript cookbook of Elizabeth, Baroness Craven, compiled in England between 1702 and 1704. At the time, cookery was both a practical necessity and a means of displaying household refinement, with recipes often attributed to distinguished friends and family, signaling both social connections and culinary innovation. 'Lord Craven's To Coller Beef' reflects a period in which preservation techniques were essential, long before refrigeration. Marinating in wine and spices and sealing in butter extended the shelf life of precious meats, enabling aristocratic families to enjoy delicacies over several months. The recipe is a snapshot of both the tastes and techniques of early 18th-century England, blending French-influenced flavors (claret, mace, bay leaf) with English traditions of potting and collaring meats.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historical cooks would have used a large wooden tray for salting and marinating, and a heavy pestle and mortar for grinding spices. To tenderize the beef, a mallet or rolling pin would suffice. Strong butchers’ or pack thread was used to tie the meat tightly for cooking. The pot for baking would usually have been earthenware or heavy metal, placed in a bread oven or hearth. Beef would be stored in glazed earthenware crocks, sealed with clarified butter and kept in a cool cellar.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

8 hrs

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

3–4.5 lb beef flank (thin end preferred)
2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mace
3 whole nutmegs, ground
8 dried bay leaves, broken
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/3 oz mixed fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram, or similar)
1 quart robust red wine (e.g., claret or Bordeaux)
10–14 oz clarified butter

Instructions

Take a beef flank, preferably from the thin end, weighing about 3–4.5 lb.
Remove the thick outer membrane (silver skin) and set the meat in a non-reactive tray.
Tenderize the beef well by beating it with a meat mallet.
Lightly season all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
To prepare the marinade, grind together 1 teaspoon mace, 3 whole nutmegs, 8 dried bay leaves (broken), and peel and crush 2 cloves of garlic.
Tie together a small bundle (1/3 oz total) of mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and marjoram.
Place all aromatics with the beef, splash over 1 quart robust red wine (such as a good-quality claret/Bordeaux), and let marinate, turning occasionally, for 7 hours at cool room temperature (or refrigerate).
Remove the beef, carefully wipe off excess spices and aromatics, and then roll it up tightly from the thin end, binding securely with butcher’s twine.
Return the seasoned and rolled beef to a snug-fitting ovenproof pot along with any residual marinade.
Cover and slowly bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 3–3.5 hours, until tender.
After baking, allow the beef to cool completely in the pot.
Remove the beef, take off the twine, and clarify any fats or juices if desired.
Once cold, pack the beef into a clean earthenware or glass crock, and cover completely with about 10–14 oz melted clarified butter, ensuring it is well-sealed.
Keep refrigerated.
When ready to eat, unmould the whole roll and slice.
This preserves well for several months when properly sealed.

Estimated Calories

600 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and marinating the beef takes some time, but most of it is hands-off. The cooking is slow and gentle to make the beef very tender. After cooling, you seal it in clarified butter, which helps it keep well for months. Each serving is rich and filling because of the butter and beef.

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.