Victorian Christmas Spiced Beef Food

SPICED ROAST BEEF

Steps:

• Combine all the spices and ½ tbsp salt together in a pestle and mortar. Give everything a good grind, keeping a little of its coarseness. Rub the oil and then the ground spices all over the beef and massage in well. Cover and chill overnight to marinate.
• Next day, heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Weigh your joint and roast for 10 mins per 450g for rare meat and 15 mins per 450g for medium, plus an extra 20 mins. Cover and rest for 20 mins while you finish the salads, then slice and serve. Alternatively, roast the beef in the morning and serve at room temperature for dinner.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS SPICED BEEF

Steps:

• Rub the meat all over with the sugar and put it in a pot with a lid for 2 days.
• Leave it in a cool place, turning and rubbing the meat at least 2 times a day with the sticky liquor that develops.
• Crush the peppercorns, juniper berries and allspice with a mortar and pestle and mix with the salt and saltpeter. Rub this mixture well into the meat and leave it in the pot for another 9 days in a very cool place.
• Turn the meat and rub the pickling mixture into the meat daily.
• When the pickling is complete, remove the beef and rub off any excess spices adhering to the surface.
• Do not rinse it.
• Wrap the meat in suet and put into a large ovenproof pot.
• Add about 10 fl oz water, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid.
• Preheat the oven to 275 deg F.
• Bake the meat slowly allowing 45 min per lb.
• When the meat is cooked, remove from the pot and set aside until it is quite cold.
• Unwrap the meat, drain off any excess liquid and place on a board.
• Cover with clean cheese cloth, put a weight on it and leave for at least 24 hrs in a very cold place.
• Carve the meat into thin slices and serve with good mustard or horseradish and pickled onions.

ENGLISH SPICED BEEF

Steps:

• Saltpeter is a necessary preservative when curing meat and also adds a pleasing red color otherwise the beef will turn out a murky grey.
• Rub the meat all over with the sugar and put it in a pot with a lid for 2 days. Leave it in a cool place, turning and rubbing the meat occasionally with the sticky liquor that develops.
• Crush the peppercorns, juniper and allspice with a pestle and mortar and mix with the salt and saltpeter.
• Rub this mixture well into the meat and leave it in the pot for a further 9 days. Turn the meat and rub the pickling mixture into the flesh daily.
• When the pickling is complete, remove the beef and rub off any excess spices adhering to the surface. Do not rinse it.
• Wrap the meat in cooking foil [the Victorians used suet] and put into a large ovenproof pot. Add about 10 fl oz water, cover the pot with a double layer of foil and fit the lid on tightly.
• Preheat the oven to 275 deg F.
• Bake the meat slowly allowing 45 min per lb.
• When the meat is cooked, remove the pot and set aside until it is quite cold.
• Unwrap the meat, drain off any excess liquid and place on a board.
• Cover with foil, put a weight on it and leave for at least 24 hr.
• Carve the meat into thin slices and serve with anything from good mustard to pickled kumquats.