A Calves Foot Pudding
From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Elizabeth Smith
Written by Elizabeth Smith
A Calves Foot Pudding
"Take the Feet of a Calf, Boil & shred ym very fine, Cut half a pound of Beef Suit as smal, a whole Nutmeg grated, rather more than an ounce of Candy'd orange Peel Cut very smal, a little Salt & some Carrants, a Penny Loaf of Bread grated, & 7 Eggs, leave out 3 whites, Flour the Bagg, & let it Boil 3 Hours. yt Sauce is thick, Sugar & melted Butter."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses period spellings and abbreviations (e.g., 'ym' for 'them', 'suit' for 'suet', 'carrants' for 'currants', 'Bagg' for 'bag', 'yt' for 'that'). The instructions assume the cook's familiarity with methods like boiling in a pudding cloth and do not specify precise measurements, instead relying on practical kitchen knowledge. 18th-century recipes tended to be succinct, listing ingredients in the method itself and emphasizing experience over standardized timings or quantities. The use of bread as a pudding base was common, providing body and structure; similarly, leaving out egg whites creates a richer, denser result.
Title
Receipt book of Elizabeth Smith (1775)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Elizabeth Smith
Era
1775
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the refined kitchens of the late 18th century with Elizabeth Smith, whose culinary wisdom offers a charming taste of Georgian elegance and time-honored recipes to delight any palate.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This particular recipe, attributed to Elizabeth Smith and dating roughly between 1749 and 1800, hails from the Georgian era of British culinary history. Calves’ feet pudding is an example of a traditional boiled English pudding, a dish both economical (making use of the gelatinous feet) and celebratory. Such recipes were common in households that prized nose-to-tail eating, making full use of the animal. The heavy use of spices, candied peel, and currants signifies its festive character, perhaps intended for family gatherings or special Sunday meals.
In the past, this pudding would have been prepared with simple kitchen implements: a large iron or copper boiling pot for simmering, a pudding cloth or bag for encasing the batter, and a sharp knife for mincing suet and slicing peel. Eggs would have been hand-beaten with a wooden spoon or whisk. Grated bread was often prepared with a hand-held grater. The pudding was boiled either over an open hearth or in a range cooker, suspended in simmering water for several hours.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Servings
8
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 calves’ feet (2.5–3.3 pounds total)
- 8 oz beef suet (or 7 oz salted or unsalted butter as a substitute)
- 0.07 oz (2 teaspoons, one whole nutmeg) freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 oz candied orange peel (finely chopped)
- Pinch of salt
- 2.5 oz currants
- 6.3 oz white bread crumbs (from one small loaf, crusts removed)
- 7 large eggs (using only 4 egg whites, so 7 yolks and 4 whites)
- 1.75 oz plain flour (for flouring the pudding cloth/bag)
- 3.5 oz granulated sugar (for the sauce)
- 2.8 oz salted butter (for the sauce)
Instructions
- Start by taking 2 cleaned calves' feet (about 2.5 to 3.3 lb).
- Boil them until the meat and gelatinous parts separate from the bones—this usually takes about 2–3 hours.
- Shred the meat and jelly very fine.
- Finely chop 8 oz of beef suet (or substitute with 7 oz of chilled unsalted butter for a modern or vegetarian twist).
- Grate a whole nutmeg (about 0.07 oz).
- Take 1 oz of candied orange peel and chop it finely.
- Add a pinch of salt and about 2.5 oz of currants.
- Grate the crumb of a small loaf of white bread (approx.
- 6.3 oz).
- In a bowl, combine the shredded calf’s foot, suet, nutmeg, orange peel, salt, currants, and bread crumbs.
- Beat 7 eggs, but use only 4 egg whites (so, 7 yolks and 4 whites).
- Mix together well.
- Place the mixture into a well-floured pudding cloth or pudding bag, then tie securely.
- Place into a large pot of boiling water and simmer gently for 3 hours, making sure the pudding is fully submerged.
- Serve the pudding hot, with a sauce made of melted butter thickened with sugar (about 3.5 oz of sugar to 2.8 oz of butter), poured over slices of the pudding.
Estimated Calories
510 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients. Boiling the calves’ feet takes 2–3 hours, and steaming the pudding takes another 3 hours. This recipe makes about 8 servings, each with an estimated 510 calories. This is a traditional steamed pudding and takes time, but most of it is hands-off.
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.
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