A very agreeable variety may be made by using half
beef and half mutton or veal in making the tea, or by
stewing an inch or two of celery, or even an onion and
one or two cloves with the beef. The addition of a little
sago also, or crushed tapioca, and a small quantity of
cream to the beef-tea will alter its taste, whilst the
addition will increase rather than diminish the nourishing
wholesome qualities of the lea. When making this, soak
a tablespoonful of sago or tapioca in a little cold water
for an hour This will take away the earthy taste. Strain
it and put it into a saucepan with a gill of fresh water, and
boil gently till tender. Add a pint of good beef-tea, hot ;
simmer this with the sago for a minute or two, then add
a quarter of a pint of cream. Stir thoroughly, and serve.
If liked, an egg or a couple of eggs✪ Beef-Tea with Sago may be added to the
beef-tea as well as the cream. The eggs must be broken
into a basin, and the specks must be carefully removed.
The hot tea, with the cream or without it, should now be
poured on gradually, off the fire, and stirred well that the
eggs may be thoroughly broken up and separated. Beef-
tea may also be used in savoury custard, such as is some-
times made for putting into clear soup. For this, take
the yolks of two eggs and the white of one, beat them
well, put with them a quarter of a pint of strong beef-tea,
and season with a little salt. Butter a small jar or basin,
Cookery for Invalids. 117
and pour in the custard. Tie some paper, slightly
buttered✪ Savory Custard with Beef-Tea, over the top, and set the basin in a saucepan
containing boiling water which will reach half way up the
basin, but which must on no account touch the edge of
the paper. Set the saucepan by the side of the fire, and
simmer very gently till the custard is set. It will take
about twenty minutes. If the water is allowed to boil
fast round the basin the custard inside will be full of
holes, instead of being smooth and even. This custard
may be served hot or cold.
Sometimes invalids who have a great distaste for
ordinary beef-tea served hot, will enjoy it served cold,
or offered as a jelly. Now, the best beef-tea, made from
juicy meat, such as the roll of the blade-bone, and which
has not been allowed to reach the boiling point, will not
jelly when cold ; but beef-tea made by thoroughly stewing
the shin of beef will jelly. Beef-tea jellies because of
the gelatine which it contains. Gelatine is the least
valuable part of butcher’s meat, and it is obtained chiefly
from bone and gristle. I do net recommend, therefore,
that beef-lea should be made into a jelly because it will
be more nourishing, but because it may prove more
appetising. 1 have known invalids enjoy jelly beef-tea
who turned away with loathing from liquid beef-tea.
Page 77 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A very agreeable variety may be made by using half beef and half mutton or veal in making the tea, or by stewing an inch or two of celery, or even an onion and one or two cloves with the beef. The addition of a little sago also, or crushed tapioca, and a small quantity of cream to the beef-tea will alter its taste, whilst the addition will increase rather than diminish the nourishing wholesome qualities of the tea. When making this, soak a tablespoonful of sago or tapioca in a little cold water for an hour This will take away the earthy taste. Strain it and put it into a saucepan with a gill of fresh water, and boil gently till tender. Add a pint of good beef-tea, hot ; simmer this with the sago for a minute or two, then add a quarter of a pint of cream. Stir thoroughly, and serve. If liked, an egg or a couple of eggs may be added to the beef-tea as well as the cream. The eggs must be broken into a basin, and the specks must be carefully removed. The hot tea, with the cream or without it, should now be poured on gradually, off the fire, and stirred well that the eggs may be thoroughly broken up and separated. Beeftea may also be used in savoury custard, such as is sometimes made for putting into clear soup. For this, take the yolks of two eggs and the white of one, beat them well, put with them a quarter of a pint of strong beef-tea, and season with a little salt. Butter a small jar or basin,
Cookery for Invalids. 117
and pour in the custard. Tie some paper, slightly buttered, over the top, and set the basin in a saucepan containing boiling water which will reach half way up the basin, but which must on no account touch the edge of the paper. Set the saucepan by the side of the fire, and simmer very gently till the custard is set. It will take about twenty minutes. If the water is allowed to boil fast round the basin the custard inside will be full of holes, instead of being smooth and even. This custard may be served hot or cold.
Sometimes invalids who have a great distaste for ordinary beef-tea served hot, will enjoy it served cold, or offered as a jelly. Now, the best beef-tea, made from juicy meat, such as the roll of the blade-bone, and which has not been allowed to reach the boiling point, will not jelly when cold ; but beef-tea made by thoroughly stewing the shin of beef will jelly. Beef-tea jellies because of the gelatine which it contains. Gelatine is the least valuable part of butcher’s meat, and it is obtained chiefly from bone and gristle. I do not recommend, therefore, that beef-tea should be made into a jelly because it will be more nourishing, but because it may prove more appetising. 1 have known invalids enjoy jelly beef-tea who turned away with loathing from liquid beef-tea.
Records on this page
Beef-Tea with SagoSavory Custard with Beef-Tea