Recipe Manuscript

Asado De Ternera

Name: Asado De Ternera
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT1H50M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg beef (brisket or chuck recommended); 2 teaspoons salt; 2 tablespoons rendered beef fat (or unsalted butter as substitute); 100 g stale white bread (or dry breadcrumbs), ground finely; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; Pinch ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; Extra salt, to taste; Parchment paper (for wrapping); Kitchen twine (if needed)

"Roast Veal"

1886

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Notebook: Manuscript de Manuela

Written by Heredia y Cervantes, Manuela

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1886

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Asado De Ternera

"Cuecese la carne con sal, agua y manteca de la carne que uno quiere: despues se envuelve en unos papeles dispuestos de antemano muelese pan seco, con ajos, comines, clavo, canela y sal, todo esto se pone en el papel untado de manteca; en el mismo se pone la carne que ya haya secado con mas pan se envuelve y se pone en la parrilla."

English Translation

"37. Roast Veal. Cook the meat with salt, water, and fat from the meat you choose; afterwards, wrap it in some papers prepared in advance. Grind dry bread with garlic, cumin, clove, cinnamon, and salt; all of this is spread on the paper coated with fat; place the meat, which has already been dried, in the same paper, add more bread, wrap it up, and put it on the grill."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a concise, directive style, typical of 19th-century manuscript cookbooks. Precise quantities are rarely provided; instead, the cook is expected to rely on experience and intuition, adjusting ingredients and techniques according to what's available. Spelling is straightforward, though 'cuecese' (cook) is an older imperative usage, and 'manteca' refers to rendered beef fat, not pork lard. The method emphasizes resourcefulness: using bread, spice, and fat both as flavor and as protective wrapping. The term 'papeles' means papers—likely reminiscent of modern parchment or strong paper, not baking paper as known today.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Notebook: Manuscript de Manuela - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Notebook: Manuscript de Manuela (1886)

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

Writer

Heredia y Cervantes, Manuela

Era

1886

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming 19th-century manuscript brimming with traditional Mexican recipes—think Sopa de chícharos, Relleno de ravioles, Sopa de lentejas, and Pastel de tuétanos—this notebook is a flavorful journey into Mexico’s culinary heritage, crafted by a masterful home cook.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe appears in an 1886 Mexican manuscript cookbook compiled by Manuela Heredia y Cervantes. It is emblematic of 19th-century Mexican home cooking, where European techniques and local ingredients intertwined in everyday kitchens. Recipes like 'Asado de ternera' reflect a domestic tradition, handed down in personal notebooks, and cooked with what was on hand, in often modest, resourceful ways. During this period, beef was widely available and often prepared with flavorings from both Spanish and indigenous traditions. The use of spices like cumin, clove, and cinnamon in meat dishes is a hallmark of Mexican colonial culinary syncretism.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1886, this asado would have been prepared using a large clay or metal pot for simmering the beef over an open fire or horno (oven). Rendered beef fat would be procured from trimmings or prior cookery. Bread would be ground in a stone metate or mortar and pestle, and spices pounded by hand. The paper, likely hand-cut from reams, was greased and used in place of today’s parchment. The wrapped meat might have been placed on a parrilla—an iron or clay grill—set over hot coals or wood, with vigilant turning by hand to avoid scorching.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 50 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 (brisket or chuck recommended)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons rendered beef fat (or unsalted butter as substitute)
3.5 oz stale white bread (or dry breadcrumbs), ground finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Extra salt, to taste
Parchment paper (for wrapping)
Kitchen twine (if needed)

Instructions

Begin by simmering 2.2 lb of beef (such as brisket or chuck) in a pot with enough water to cover, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 tablespoons of rendered beef fat (or unsalted butter as a substitute if necessary).
Cook until tender, about 1 1/2 hours, then remove from the liquid and pat dry.
Meanwhile, prepare sheets of parchment paper brushed generously with softened beef fat or butter.
In a bowl, combine 3.5 oz of finely ground stale white bread (or dry breadcrumbs), 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, a pinch of ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a good pinch of salt.
Lay the beef on the greased parchment, cover it with the spiced breadcrumb mixture, roll the paper tightly around the meat, ensuring it’s fully encased, and secure with kitchen twine if needed.
Place the wrapped meat on a grill over medium heat (or under a broiler/oven grill setting), turning frequently, until the paper is browned and the crust is fragrant and set, about 15–20 minutes.
Unwrap and serve in thick slices.

Estimated Calories

450 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and workspace, and around 1 hour and 50 minutes to cook the beef and finish it with the spiced crust. The recipe serves about 6 people, with each serving containing roughly 450 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.