Stewed Rump of Beef is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a rump of beef stewed in stock with vinegar, ketchup, herbs, onions and cloves that's finished with port wine. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Stewed Rump of 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
STEWED RUMP OF BEEF.
670. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 rump of beef, sufficient stock to cover it (No. 105), 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 2 tablespoonfuls of ketchup, 1 large bunch of savoury herbs, 2 onions, 12 cloves, pepper and salt to taste, thickening of butter and flour, 1 glass of port wine.
Mode.—Cut out the bone, sprinkle the meat with a little cayenne (this must be sparingly used), and bind and tie it firmly up with tape; put it into a stewpan with sufficient stock to cover it, and add vinegar, ketchup, herbs, onions, cloves, and seasoning in the above proportion, and simmer very gently for 4 or 5 hours, or until the meat is perfectly tender, which may be ascertained by piercing it with a thin skewer. When done, remove the tape, lay it into a deep dish, which keep hot; strain and skim the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, add a glass of port wine and any flavouring to make the gravy rich and palatable; let it boil up, pour over the meat, and serve. This dish may be very much enriched by garnishing with forcemeat balls, or filling up the space whence the bone is taken with a good forcemeat; sliced carrots, turnips, and onions boiled with the meat, are also a great improvement, and, where expense is not objected to, it may be glazed. This, however, is not necessary where a good gravy is poured round and over the meat.
Time.—1/2 rump stewed gently from 4 to 5 hours.
Average cost, 10d. per lb. Sufficient for 8 or 10 persons.
Seasonable at any time.
Note.—A stock or gravy in which to boil the meat, may be made of the bone and trimmings, by boiling them with water, and adding carrots, onions, turnips, and a bunch of sweet herbs. To make this dish richer and more savoury, half-roast the rump, and afterwards stew it in strong stock and a little Madeira. This is an expensive method, and is not, after all, much better than a plainer-dressed joint.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1.2 rump of beef
cayenne pepper, to taste
enough medium stock to cover the meat
4 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 large bunch of savoury herbs
2 onions
12 cloves
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp butter mixed to a paste with 2 tbsp plain flour, to thicken
140ml port wine
Method:
Remove the bone from the meat then sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper then roll the meat and tie with butcher's twine. Place in a pan then pour over enough stock to cover it. Now add the vinegar, ketchup, herbs, onions and cloves. Season to taste then bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for between 4 and 5 hours, or until the meat is completely tender.
When done, take out the meat, remove the string and place in a deep dish (set this aside to keep hot). Strain the liquid in the pan into a clean saucepan and whisk in the butter and flour mix a little at a time. Add the port wine (and flavouring if you desire). Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened. Adjust the seasonings to taste then pour over the beef and serve.
