Stew’d Beef

Cut four Pounds of stewing Beef, with some of the hard Fat of Brisket Beef cut into Pieces; Put these into a Pan with some Salt and Pepper, some Powder of dry’d sweet Marjoram, a few Cloves Powder’d, three Pints of Water, cover the Pan close, and let it stew four Hours; then put some Turnips cut in Dice, a Carrot cut in the same manner, the white Part of a large Leek, two heads of Sallary shred, and a piece of Crust of Bread burnt, with half a Pint of Claret or small Beer; if you think Beer as good as Wine, let it stew an Hour longer, and serve it hot: you must garnish with Carrot slic’d.

From Sarah Harrison, The House-keeper’s Pocket-book, 1739

Stew’d Meat

• 1 ½ lbs. of beef, mutton or Pork into small pieces
• ½ pint peas
• 3 sliced turnips
• 3 Potatoes—cut very small
• 1 or 2 onions or few leeks

Put into kettle with 3 qt and 1 pt water. Let boil gently on slow fire about 2 ½ hours. Then thicken with ½ lb of ground rice and ½ of a ¼ lb of oatmeal (or a ¼ lb of oatmeal and no rice). Boil for ¼ hour after the thickening is put in, stiring it all the time. Season with salt, ground pepper, or pounded ginger to taste. N.B. If Turnips or potatoes are not to be had, carrots, parsnips or Jerusalem Artichokes or any other garden stuff will do. Sufficient for 3-4 persons without bread or drink.

From the Northampton Mercury, November 8, 1757