Recipe Manuscript

To Bake Beefe

Name: To Bake Beefe
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT2H30M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.5 kg beef bottom round (silverside), trimmed, sinews removed; 100 g pork fat (for larding), or use streaky bacon as substitute; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground ginger; 0.5 tsp grated nutmeg; 0.25 tsp ground cloves; 0.25 tsp ground mace; 1 tbsp sugar; 150 ml vinegar (wine or cider vinegar preferred); 250 g plain flour (for pastry); 125 g beef suet, shredded (or cold unsalted butter); 50 g extra suet or butter, chopped

1675

From the treasured pages of Medicinal and cookery recipes by John King

Written by John King

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1675

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Bake Beefe

"Take the neather side of the buttercke of beefe skinne it and cut out the sinnewes beat it in a cloath with a roleing pinn all to peeces and as the skine and sinnewes rise cut them out poppe it in a seething kettle of water but let it not lye long to seeth cut it and larde it and season it with pepper sinamon ginger nutmeggs cloves and mace and some sugar then poare on vineger till it bee wett and lett it bee an howre or two on that syde then wett the other syde also with vineger lay it in paste with good store of beefe suett beaten and let it stand in the oven longe enough."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like many early modern instructions, assumes a cook's familiarity with butchery and basic skills. Quantities are not specified, because the household cook would judge based on need and experience. Spelling reflects period conventions: 'beefe' for beef, 'poppe' for put, 'paste' for pastry, etc.—and ingredients like 'sinamon' (cinnamon) or 'suett' (suet) show phonetic spellings. The recipe is direct and practical, designed for household use in an upper-middle-class or gentry kitchen. Modern cooks must infer measurements, timings, and even oven temperatures, translating instinctive actions into precise instructions for today's kitchens.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Medicinal and cookery recipes by John King - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Medicinal and cookery recipes by John King (1675)

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

Writer

John King

Era

1675

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey into the kitchens of the 17th and early 18th centuries, this collection, attributed to John King, brims with time-honored recipes, culinary wisdom, and flavors that once graced historic tables.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an English manuscript collection attributed to John King, with entries dating roughly between 1625 and 1725. In this era, beef was a staple for those who could afford it, and pies were an ingenious way both to preserve and tenderize tougher cuts. The elaborate use of spices—like cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace—signals both wealth and the influence of trade with the East. Savory pies like this, sealed in pastry and slow-baked, were a centerpiece of English feasts, a tradition continued from the late medieval period into the early modern age.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In its day, the beef would have been prepared with a large wooden rolling pin to tenderize the meat, a heavy cloth to cushion the pounding, and a sharp knife to remove sinew. A large seething kettle was used to quickly blanch the meat. For the pie, robust hands would mix the suet pastry, and a brick oven—often wood-fired—would provide the long, slow heat needed for tender beef. Iron or earthenware baking dishes (sometimes called coffins) were the vessels of choice for such pies.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

2 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 lbs beef bottom round (silverside), trimmed, sinews removed
3.5 oz pork fat (for larding), or use streaky bacon as substitute
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground mace
1 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup vinegar (wine or cider vinegar preferred)
2 cups plain flour (for pastry)
1/2 cup beef suet, shredded (or cold unsalted butter)
2 oz extra suet or butter, chopped

Instructions

Begin with approximately 3 lbs of beef from the bottom round or silverside (the 'neather side of the buttocke'), ensuring it's well trimmed and free of sinew.
Tenderize the beef by pounding it under a cloth with a rolling pin until broken down and any sinew is removed.
Briefly blanch the beef in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, just until the exterior changes color, then remove and cool.
Slice the beef into thick strips and lard with thin strips of pork fat throughout for extra moisture.
Season the meat liberally with 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground mace, and 1 tbsp sugar.
Place the meat in a shallow dish and cover generously with about 2/3 cup vinegar, letting it marinate for 1-2 hours, flipping once to ensure both sides are coated.
Prepare a rich pastry case using 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup beef suet (or butter if unavailable), mixing to form a stiff dough.
Line a baking dish with the pastry, fill with the marinated beef and extra suet (about 2 oz, chopped finely), and cover.
Bake in a moderate oven (340°F) for 2-2.5 hours, or until the meat is tender and the pastry is golden.

Estimated Calories

550 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 45 minutes to prepare the ingredients, including pounding, slicing, larding, marinating, and making the pastry. The bake time is about 2.5 hours. This recipe makes about 8 servings, and each serving has around 550 calories.

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.