English Potted Beef Recipes

ENGLISH ROAST BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the outside of the roast on all sides in the butter. After the roast is browned, add 1/2 cup water to the pan, and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sage, and 1/2 teaspoon of mint onto the roast. Place onion and garlic into the pan if desired, and season with seasoning salt and red pepper flakes, if using.
• Cover the pot, and place the roast in the oven for 2 to 3 hours depending on how well done you prefer the meat to be. 2 hours for rare, and 3 for well done. Removed finished roast to a pan to keep warm.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. Whisk flour into melted butter until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup cold water. Mix until a smooth paste is formed. Return to medium heat, and season with remaining sage and mint. Stir in the liquid from the roasting pan, and boil, stirring constantly until the gravy is thickened. Remove from heat. Slice the roast and serve with gravy poured over the meat.

HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3
• Put the beef in an ovenproof dish which has a lid. Season sparingly with salt but be generous with the pepper.Stir in 50ml of the stock.
• Lay the butter slices over the beef to cover. Put the lid on the dish - if the lid isn't tight-fitting, put a piece of foil over the dish before putting on the lid.
• Put the dish in the oven and cook until the beef is very soft (3-5 hours).After 30-40 minutes remove the lid, stir to separate any pieces of meat that have stuck together, then replace the lid and return to the oven until done.
• When the beef is very tender, remove the dish from the oven, take off the lid and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
• Tip the contents of the dish into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth, adding as much extra stock as needed to loosen it. IMPORTANT: the potted meat will firm up a lot when cold so should be a rather loose mixture at this stage.Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer the potted beef to individual ramekins, jars or one larger container, cover and leave to chill in the fridge.
• Serve spread on crusty bread or toast, with pickles such as cornichons, onions etc. on the side.Should keep for 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen.Tip: if the cooled potted beef is firmer than you'd like, beat in a little cold beef stock. It's also delicious pinged in the microwave for 12- 20 seconds which will soften and warm it.

POTTED BEEF

Steps:

• In a heavy medium saucepan, simmer the beef in 1/4 inch of water. Stew until very tender, about 2 to 3 hours, replacing water as necessary. Drain, reserving the liquid.
• Pass the cooked stew meat through a meat grinder twice, until it is the consistency of a thick, stringy paste.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Filter the melted butter through clean muslin (cheese cloth), to remove the milk solids.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked meat with 3/4 of the strained, melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg to taste. Stir in desired amount of reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Transfer the mixture to sterile containers and top with remaining butter. Seal and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

ENGLISH POTTED BEEF

Steps:

• Trim the meat of all sinew and fat, cut it into 1-inch cubes and put into a stone jar or basin. Season with salt and the spices. Cover with the wine. Cover the jar or basin with foil and stand this in a roasting tim containing boiling water.
• Cook this in a slow oven, 170C/325F/gas mark 3, until the meats fall apart. This could take up to 4 hours. Make sure that you top up the tin with boiling water when necessary. When the meat is ready, drain the juices into a small pan and reduce these until you have only a couple of tablespoons left.
• Put the meat into a blender, or pound it to a paste in a mortar. Beat in the softened butter and the reduced juices. Check the seasoning before filling into little pots or wax cartons.
• Cover with a film of clarified butter.
• Serve as you would a pate.