For A La Mode Beef
From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Elizabeth Smith
Written by Elizabeth Smith
For A La Mode Beef
"Take a round of beef Lard it very Thick with fat Bacon, diPped in Vinegar, and Water. mixed with Pepper, Parsly chopped small, some Salt and Sazan. Put two Onions at the Top stuPfed with Cloves. Have a few sliced Callotts laid under the Beef, Put it close in a Mugg, covered with a Tin cover, taking care no Steam get out of it - Put over a clear fire, so as to make it boil, then it must Stew over a clear fire for 5 or 6 hours, add a spoonfull or two of Vinegar and a Quart of Water with a Bottle of Wine."
Note on the Original Text
Recipes from this period often lack precise quantities and times, assuming a degree of practical skill and kitchen experience. The instructions use idiosyncratic and archaic spelling—'diPped', 'stuPfed', 'Callotts' (carrots), 'Sazan' (saffron)—with capitalized letters and variable spelling reflecting handwritten conventions of the day. Details like ‘put it close in a Mugg’ and ‘no Steam get out’ point to the importance of controlling moisture during cooking, accentuating the slow and sealed stewing technique. The direction to stuff onions with cloves is typical of English historical cookery, lending both flavor and a visual flourish.
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 recipe hails from mid-to-late 18th-century Britain, attributed to Elizabeth Smith, an active home cook, during the period 1749–1800. 'A la Mode Beef' was a fashionable dish, reflecting continental influences—particularly French—on British cookery as international trade and travel grew. The practice of larding, slow-cooking, and aromatic seasoning all evoke both practicality (to tenderize tougher cuts) and taste sophistication expected on wealthier tables. Such dishes were labor-intensive, generally reserved for special occasions or Sunday dinners, and would showcase both a household’s resources and culinary skill.
The original method called for a larding needle (for threading bacon into beef), a large earthenware or ceramic pot such as a 'mugg', and a tight-fitting tin or metal cover to keep steam in. The pot would be set over a ‘clear’ fire—meaning glowing charcoal or embers, stable and even, likely in a hearth or on a trivet. Stewing required patience and attention, with the pot sealed to keep in all moisture and aromatic vapors. Modern cooks can simulate this with a Dutch oven or deep heavy casserole, and a home oven or slow stove top.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Servings
6
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
- 4.5 lbs beef round (topside or silverside)
- 10.5 oz fatty bacon, cut into thick lardons
- 1/4 cup vinegar (wine vinegar or cider vinegar)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- Pinch saffron (or small pinch turmeric as substitute)
- 2 medium onions
- 16–20 whole cloves
- 7 oz carrots, sliced (approx. 2–3 medium carrots)
- 2–3 tbsp vinegar (additional, for stewing)
- 4 1/4 cups water
- 25 fl oz red wine (full-bodied) (1 standard bottle)
- Optional: extra salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin with a whole beef round (about 4.5 lbs).
- Using a small, sharp knife, make deep incisions all over the surface and insert lardons—thick strips of fatty bacon (approximately 10.5 oz), each dipped in about 1/4 cup vinegar and a little water mixed with plenty of cracked black pepper, finely chopped fresh parsley (a small bunch), coarse salt (about 1 tbsp), and a pinch of saffron (or substitute with a small pinch of turmeric).
- Take two medium onions, peeling just enough to create space for stuffing, and stud each onion with whole cloves (8–10 each).
- Scatter 2–3 carrots (about 7 oz total), sliced, in the bottom of a large heavy casserole.
- Place the larded beef on top.
- Tightly cover the dish (a Dutch oven with a heavy lid, or seal with foil).
- Bring to a gentle simmer over a moderate heat, then reduce heat and let the meat stew undisturbed, ensuring no steam escapes, for 5–6 hours.
- After the first hour, add 2–3 tablespoons (2–1.5 fl oz) of vinegar, 4 1/4 cups water, and a standard 25 fl oz (1 bottle) of red wine.
- Check the liquid halfway through and top up if needed.
- Once tender, serve thick slices of beef with the vegetables and fragrant broth.
Estimated Calories
700 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing the beef and vegetables takes about 30 minutes, including stuffing the beef and onions. Cooking takes 5–6 hours while the stew simmers slowly until tender. One serving is about 1/6 of the meat and vegetables, and each serving has around 700 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.
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