The Hunters Pudding
From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Elizabeth Smith
Written by Elizabeth Smith
The Hunters Pudding
"Jake one pound of Beef Suet shred very smal, 8 Eggs half a Large Nutmeg, 4 Spoonfulls of Flower, & 4 of Sugar, 3 qrs of a pound of Raisons pick'd & Ston'd, & a little Salt, all these must be mix'd together before yt Flower is put in, put it in a Bagg & let it Boil fall two Hours."
Note on the Original Text
Written in the 'receipt' style of the 18th century, the instructions are concise and assume the cook is already familiar with basic pastry techniques. Spellings like 'flower' for 'flour' and abbreviations such as 'yt' for 'that' were common. Quantities, though sometimes imprecise, followed domestic conventions—pounds for solid ingredients, spoonfuls for finer ones. The step-by-step order is implicit, making it essential for the cook to rely on experience and tradition.
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 pudding comes from the manuscript cookbook of Elizabeth Smith, who lived between 1749 and 1800. The recipe reflects a period in English country house cooking where rich, comforting puddings were central to hearty, celebratory dining, especially during hunts and countryside gatherings. Such puddings made use of staple store-cupboard ingredients—dried fruit, suet, eggs, and flour—demonstrating the practicality and resourcefulness of 18th-century home cooks. Hunters would return cold and hungry, and a filling suet pudding served as the ideal restorative meal.
The pudding would traditionally be made with a large mixing bowl and a sharp knife for shredding the suet. The eggs would be beaten using a fork or a simple whisk. Ingredients would be mixed by hand. A pudding cloth (or 'bag') made of muslin or tightly woven linen was essential, tied securely with twine. The pudding was boiled in a large cauldron or pot over the open hearth. A slotted spoon was used to lift out the pudding once cooked.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 50 mins
Servings
10
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 lb beef suet (or vegetarian suet as substitute)
- 8 large eggs
- Half a large nutmeg, freshly grated
- 2 oz plain flour (about 4 tablespoons)
- 1.75 oz sugar (about 4 tablespoons)
- 12 oz raisins (stones removed; currants or sultanas can be substituted)
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- To make The Hunter's Pudding, finely shred 1 pound of beef suet, removing any sinew or gristle.
- In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs.
- Grate half of a large nutmeg into the eggs, and add a pinch of salt.
- Add 4 heaped tablespoons (about 2 ounces) of plain flour and 4 tablespoons (about 1.75 ounces) of sugar.
- Mix in 12 ounces of raisins that have been picked over and stones removed.
- Stir all ingredients together well before finally mixing in the flour until just combined.
- Spoon the thick batter into a pudding cloth or a pudding basin lined with muslin, tie it securely, and boil in a large pot of water for just under two hours.
- Serve warm.
Estimated Calories
520 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will need about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients and then nearly 2 hours to cook the pudding. Each serving is about 520 calories if you divide the pudding into 10 slices.
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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