Beef Cake is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of patties made from minced beef and bacon bound with eggs that are fried and served with gravy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Beef Cake.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
BEEF CAKE.
610. INGREDIENTS.—The remains of cold roast beef; to each pound of cold meat allow 1/4 lb. of bacon or ham; seasoning to taste of pepper and salt, 1 small bunch of minced savoury herbs, 1 or 2 eggs.
Mode.—Mince the beef very finely (if underdone it will be better), add to it the bacon, which must also be chopped very small, and mix well together. Season, stir in the herbs, and bind with an egg, or 2 should 1 not be sufficient. Make it into small square cakes, about 1/2 inch thick, fry them in hot dripping, and serve in a dish with good gravy poured round them.
Time.—10 minutes.
Average cost, exclusive of the cold meat, 6d.
Seasonable at any time.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
remains of cold, roast, beef
For Every 500g of Meat:
130g bacon or ham
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 small bunch of savoury herbs, minced
2 eggs, beaten
Method:
Mince the beef very finely and chop the bacon into small pieces. Combine the bacon and beef in a bowl then season to taste. Stir in the herbs then add in enough of the beaten eggs to bind the mixture together.
Form the mixture into small patties about 12mm thick then fry in hot butter or dripping and serve in a dish with a good-quality gravy poured over them.
