Recipe Manuscript

Ternera

Name: Ternera
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT1H15M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 700 g beef bones (preferably with some meat); 3 tablespoons (45 ml) red wine vinegar; 15 g salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon (2 g) freshly ground black pepper (plus 5-6 whole peppercorns); 50 g lard (substitute neutral oil or butter if needed); 3 medium ripe tomatoes (around 350 g), finely chopped; 1 medium onion (about 100 g), sliced; 2-3 garlic cloves (about 10 g), crushed; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; Water (as needed, approximately 250 ml); Extra beef juices, if any, for finishing

"Beef"

1911

From the treasured pages of Libreta de Recetas de Cocina

Written by Aurora Vélez Orozco G.

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

Original Recipe • 1911

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

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

Ternera

"Se coje libra y media de hueso de ternera se asazona y se pone a remojar en vinagre, sal, y pimienta, una hora; se pone en una cazuela con manteca bien caliente se va colando agua de poquito hasta que suelte el caldillo se le echa jitomate picado, cebolla rebanada, unos dientes de ajo machacados, orégano, tomillo, laurel y pimienta en grano, se frie todo esto hasta que quede seco y se le agrega sabo de propio."

English Translation

"Take one and a half pounds of beef bone, season it and soak it in vinegar, salt, and pepper for one hour; put it in a pot with very hot lard, gradually adding a little water until it releases its broth. Add chopped tomato, sliced onion, a few crushed garlic cloves, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, and whole peppercorns. Fry all of this until it becomes dry and then add its own juice for flavor."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a flowing, conversational style common to family manuscripts of the era, with minimal punctuation and plenty of abbreviations or phonetic spelling. Key instructions are implicit, relying on the reader's kitchen savvy and ability to interpret context. Some spelling reflects older Spanish conventions (e.g., 'asazona' for 'se sazona,' 'jitomate' for local tomatoes). Directions for timing and quantities are loose, meant to be adapted based on intuition rather than strict measurement—a marked contrast to precise modern recipes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Libreta de Recetas de Cocina - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Libreta de Recetas de Cocina (1911)

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

Writer

Aurora Vélez Orozco G.

Era

1911

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A handwritten culinary treasure from Toluca, this charming 1911 manuscript serves up 36 delightful recipes that dance from savory soups and meats to fresh salads and decadent desserts—a flavorful snapshot of early 20th-century Mexican home cooking.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from a treasured handwritten family cookbook kept by Aurora Vélez Orozco in Toluca, Mexico, dated 1911. The turn of the twentieth century was a dynamic time in Mexican home kitchens, blending older Spanish colonial techniques with increasingly available ingredients and modern comforts. Recipes like this one captured how home cooks made the most of flavorful cuts and classic combinations of herbs, drawing on resourceful, economical methods. Manuscript cookbooks such as this preserved personal touches and reflected the daily rhythms of upper-middle-class homes in the early Porfiriato period. The preparation of beef bones with tomato and aromatic herbs reflects both the deep Spanish culinary influences and the emerging Mexican taste for bolder, layered flavors.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, the cook would have used a heavy clay or cast iron cazuela (casserole pot), a wooden spoon, and a mortar and pestle for crushing the garlic. Knives for chopping and perhaps a small sieve or cloth to strain juices were common, with everything cooked on a wood or charcoal-burning stove. Lard was the main cooking fat, prized for the flavor it imparted.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 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 1/2 pounds beef bones (preferably with some meat)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 ounce salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus 5-6 whole peppercorns)
3 1/2 tablespoons lard (substitute neutral oil or butter if needed)
3 medium ripe tomatoes (around 12 ounces), finely chopped
1 medium onion (about 3 1/2 ounces), sliced
2-3 garlic cloves (about 1/3 ounce), crushed
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Water (as needed, approximately 1 cup)
Extra beef juices, if any, for finishing

Instructions

Start by seasoning around 1 1/2 pounds of beef bones (ideally with some meat attached) with salt and black pepper, then soak them in a mixture of red wine vinegar, salt, and freshly ground pepper for about an hour.
Heat a thick-bottomed pot or casserole with a generous amount of lard (about 3 1/2 tablespoons).
Sear the beef bones until browned.
Add small amounts of water gradually, allowing the bones to release their juices and develop a flavorful broth.
Once a bit of broth forms, stir in 3 finely chopped ripe tomatoes, 1 medium onion sliced, and 2 to 3 crushed garlic cloves.
Season with a pinch each of dried oregano and thyme, 1 bay leaf, and a few whole black peppercorns.
Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates and the mixture is fairly dry.
At the finish, if there are any accumulated juices, pour these back over to add rich flavor.

Estimated Calories

250 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes around 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients. The beef bones are marinated for 1 hour. Cooking, including browning and simmering, takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. This recipe serves 4 people, with each serving about 250 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.