- Joined
- Dec 4, 2011
This recipe is from Mrs. E. F. Haskell, but beef a-la-mode was very common, and referred to beef with dressing.
A-la-mode Beef.—Prepare a dressing with bread or crackers, moisten with water seasoned with butter, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, cloves, and, if relished, allspice; add two eggs, and mix the whole well together. Have ready a round of beef of the proper size for the family; cut gashes in it, and fill them with the dressing. Bind it together with skewers, and put it in a bake-pan with water enough to cover the bottom of the pan, in which is dissolved a little salt. Baste it three or four times with the salted water while cooking. Let it stew gently. When nearly done, cover it with dressing reserved for the purpose. Heat the lid to the pan sufficiently hot to brown it, cover and stew until done. It can be stewed in a dripping-pan, in a stove oven, and browned when done by holding over it, if not already browned, a heated shovel. The dressing should be poured over it half an hour before taking it from the oven. If the gravy is too thin, add a little flour worked free from lumps.
The bread should be stale, making it similar to crackers, and either should be broken into crumbs or small lumps. The amount of butter and spices is left to the discretion of the cook, and honestly, I don't see the problem. One soon learns how much one likes, and putting quantities would be like saying how many teaspoons of ketchup and relish to put on a hamburger.
She doesn't say at the start, but don't put all the dressing in the gashes, because you'll need some to put on top later. If you don't want to try the heated lid or shovel trick, putting it uncovered in a moderate oven at the end would do it. Watch and remove when the dressing on top is browned.
A-la-mode Beef.—Prepare a dressing with bread or crackers, moisten with water seasoned with butter, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, cloves, and, if relished, allspice; add two eggs, and mix the whole well together. Have ready a round of beef of the proper size for the family; cut gashes in it, and fill them with the dressing. Bind it together with skewers, and put it in a bake-pan with water enough to cover the bottom of the pan, in which is dissolved a little salt. Baste it three or four times with the salted water while cooking. Let it stew gently. When nearly done, cover it with dressing reserved for the purpose. Heat the lid to the pan sufficiently hot to brown it, cover and stew until done. It can be stewed in a dripping-pan, in a stove oven, and browned when done by holding over it, if not already browned, a heated shovel. The dressing should be poured over it half an hour before taking it from the oven. If the gravy is too thin, add a little flour worked free from lumps.
The bread should be stale, making it similar to crackers, and either should be broken into crumbs or small lumps. The amount of butter and spices is left to the discretion of the cook, and honestly, I don't see the problem. One soon learns how much one likes, and putting quantities would be like saying how many teaspoons of ketchup and relish to put on a hamburger.
She doesn't say at the start, but don't put all the dressing in the gashes, because you'll need some to put on top later. If you don't want to try the heated lid or shovel trick, putting it uncovered in a moderate oven at the end would do it. Watch and remove when the dressing on top is browned.
Forum Host
Bringing the