Minced Beef is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of cold roast beef that's diced and re-heated in an ale sauce thickened with flour and flavoured wiht a little beef gravy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Minced Beef.
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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
MINCED BEEF (Cold Meat Cookery).
636. INGREDIENTS.—1 oz. of butter, 1 small onion, 2 tablespoonfuls of gravy left from the meat, 1 tablespoonful of strong ale, 1/2 a teaspoonful of flour, salt and pepper to taste, a few slices of lean roast beef.
Mode.—Put into a stewpan the butter with an onion chopped fine; add the gravy, ale, and 1/2 a teaspoonful of flour to thicken; season with pepper and salt, and stir these ingredients over the fire until the onion is a rich brown. Cut, but do not chop the meat very fine, add it to the gravy, stir till quite hot, and serve. Garnish with sippets of toasted bread. Be careful in not allowing the gravy to boil after the meat is added, as it would render it hard and tough.
Time.—About 1/2 hour. Average cost, exclusive of the meat, 3d.
Seasonable at any time.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
30g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp beef gravy
1 tbsp strong ale
1/2 tsp plain flour
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
6 slices of lean roast beef
Method:
Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 4 minutes then stir in the gravy, ale and the flour. Whisk until smooth and continue cooking until the onion is a rich, dark, brown. Cut the meat into small dice then add to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until heated through (but do not boil).
Pour into a serving bowl, garnish with sippers of toasted bread and serve.
