Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Beefsteak, Sirloin (in chafingdish). — A cut from 2 to 2^ lbs. will make a delicious steak sufficient for six persons, being a change from roast beef. It is easily cooked on the chafing-dish. Put an earthen cocote directly over a moderate flame. Put one table-spoonful of butter in it. Season the meat with one salt-spoonful of salt and half a salt-spoonful of pepper on each side. When the butter is melted, put in the steak. Cook each side twelve minutes, not covered. When you turn over the meat be careful not to prick it, so that it shall retain all its juice. Mix one teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley with one table-spoonful of fresh butter, and add a dozen drops of lemon. In about twenty-four minutes put out the flame and spread this butter over ; serve directly in the cocote. Beef Stew, Irish. — Put slices of lean beef in a stewpan with plenty of water or beef stock. Add two or three onions cut in quarters, a little celery in small pieces, some cold potatoes whole, or if very large cut in quarters ; salt and pepper to taste. Let the stew simmer gently until the potatoes are soft and have absorbed most of the gravy. Beef Stew with Okra. — Take scraps of cold meat from bones of beef, break the bones, put in a pot, and cover with cold water. Boil and skim take out the bones, season with salt and pepper; put in half a gallon of chopped okra, one onion, one potato, and one teaspoonful of extract of celery. Let boil until the vegetables are cooked, put in the meat, chopped fine, let heat, and take up. Beef Stew with Tomatoes. — Slice 3 lbs. of lean beef and seven moderatesized tomatoes with one onion. Cut the tomatoes up into small pieces, and chop the onion fine. Stew slowly ; add salt, a few cloves, and, just before it is done, a little butter and half a gill of catsup. Beef-tea from Fresh Meat (Baron Liebig's recipe).. —Take I lb. of lean beef, entirely free from fat and sinew ; mince it finely and mix it well with one pint of cold water. Heat very gradually for two hours. At the end of that time add half a teaspoonful of salt and boil gently for ten minutes. Remove the scum as it rises. This is beef-tea pure and simple. When a change of flavor is required, it is a good plan to take I lb. of meat, composed of equal parts of veal, mutton, and beef, and proceed as above. Or, instead of using water, boil a carrot, a turnip, an onion, and a clove in a pint of water, and when the flavor is extracted strain the liquid Beef Tenderloin Beef Tongue through a fine sieve; let it get quite cold, and pour it upon the minced meat, soaking and boiling it for the same time.