Recipe Manuscript

To Stew A Rump Of Beef

Name: To Stew A Rump Of Beef
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT6H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 whole rump of beef (2–3 kg), bones removed; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground mace; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 200 g beef suet, finely chopped; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 50 g beef maw (substitute with beef tripe or omit if unavailable); 1.2 liters dry white wine or claret (red wine); 500 ml verjuice (or substitute: 250 ml apple cider vinegar + 250 ml white grape juice); 2 tablespoons wine or cider vinegar; 6 medium onions, halved; 1 bundle mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf); Enough water to cover the beef

1673

From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Penelope Jephson

Written by Penelope Patrick

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1673

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Stew A Rump Of Beef

"Take a rump of beef & take out the great bones, then season it with salt nutmeg, mace, & a litle pepper & stop your lean parts with beef suet shread very fine & mingled with cloves, nutmegs, maw, pepper & salt, & stuff it in very hard. put it into an earthen pott or pipkin & put thereto a quarte or better of white or claret wine, a pint of verjuce, vinegare, & six onyons pretty big, cleft in sunder a bundle of sweet herbs & season it with salt to please yr pallate. then put as much water to it as will cover it & so let it stew gently, at least six houres. when yu take it up to dish it, skum of the fat & take away the onyons & herbs, & put it into a larg dish pouring the liquor upon it."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the characteristically terse, slightly idiosyncratic style of early modern English manuscripts: spelling is variable ('cleft in sunder' for 'cut apart'), and instructions assume a working knowledge of cookery. Quantities are broad, cooking times long and slow, and the method is more suggestion than prescriptive step-by-step guide. Punctuation and capitalization are inconsistent, and ingredient lists are embedded in the text rather than separately. While 'maw' is no longer common, it demonstrates the historical penchant for utilizing varied animal parts.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book of Penelope Jephson - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book of Penelope Jephson (1673)

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

Writer

Penelope Patrick

Era

1673

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back into the sumptuous kitchens of the late 17th century with Penelope Patrick’s culinary collection—a feast of historic recipes, secret tips, and the irresistible flavors of Restoration England all bound together in a handwritten treasure.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe dates from late 17th-century England and comes from the handwritten cookbook of Penelope Patrick (1646–1725). At this time, beef was often cooked slowly to render tough cuts meltingly tender, and the use of sweet spices such as nutmeg, mace, and cloves reveals fashionable tastes shared with the aristocracy. It is a sophisticated dish, meant for substantial households or special occasions, as evidenced by the generous use of wine, verjuice, and spices, all luxury goods in the period. The presence of suet and offal stuffing harks to thrifty nose-to-tail cookery, but the result is a hearty, festive centerpiece.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the day, the cook would use a large earthenware pot or a heavy pipkin (a kind of ceramic stewpot), set over the hearth or in a brick oven for long, slow stewing—sometimes for many hours. Knives sturdy enough for bone removal and finely chopping the suet were essential. Kitchen twine or wooden skewers might be used to close stuffed cavities. Serving would be directly from the cooking vessel or transferred to a grand platter, with the enriched gravy ladled over.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

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 whole rump of beef (4 1/2–6 1/2 lb), bones removed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
7 oz beef suet, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 oz beef maw (substitute with beef tripe or omit if unavailable)
5 cups dry white wine or claret (red wine)
2 cups verjuice (or substitute: 1 cup apple cider vinegar + 1 cup white grape juice)
2 tablespoons wine or cider vinegar
6 medium onions, halved
1 bundle mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf)
Enough water to cover the beef

Instructions

Begin by taking a whole rump of beef (about 4 1/2–6 1/2 lb) and remove the largest bones.
Season the beef thoroughly with salt, grated nutmeg, ground mace, and a touch of black pepper.
Prepare a stuffing by finely chopping about 7 oz of beef suet and blending it with ground cloves, more nutmeg, pepper, salt, and—if desired—a small amount of finely minced beef maw (stomach), or substitute with a similar offal like beef tripe.
Stuff this mixture tightly into any lean areas or cavities left by the bone removal.
Place the prepared beef into a large earthenware pot or Dutch oven.
Add approximately 5 cups of dry white wine or red claret, 2 cups of verjuice (or substitute with a mix of 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup white grape juice), 2–3 tablespoons of vinegar, and 6 medium onions, each cut in half.
Add a bundle of fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.
Season again with a bit more salt if needed.
Pour in enough water to just cover the beef.
Cover tightly and stew the beef very gently for at least 6 hours, either in a low oven (250°F) or on the stovetop at a simmer, until the meat is tender.
Remove the beef and place on a serving dish.
Skim the fat from the stewing liquid and remove the onions and herbs.
Pour the strained liquor over the beef and serve warm.

Estimated Calories

550 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and stuffing the beef takes about 45 minutes. The beef slowly cooks for at least 6 hours so it becomes tender and full of flavor. One serving has about 550 calories if you divide the whole dish into 8 generous portions.

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.