Can’t we just have nice non-farced beef like this?

Recipe: Beef farced

This recipe from The Whole Duty of a Woman… has us wondering if anything is real. Is it all a farce? Even the beef? Those ‘Where’s the Beef?’ ladies from the Wendy’s commercials would love this one:

“The same Pieces of Beef only are farced that are dressed à la Braise; that is to say, those that are commonly called Roasting Pieces, and those may be farced with a Salpicon, the Receipt, for making of which, see hereafter. Or else when your Beef is almost roasted, raise up the Skin or Outside of it, and take the Flesh of the Middle, which you must shred very small, with the Fat of Bacon and Beef, fine Herbs, Spices, and good Garnishings. With this you farce of stuff Beef between the Skin and the Bone, and sew it up very carefully to prevent the Flesh from dropping into the Dripping pan, when you make an end of roasting it.”

— The Whole Duty of a Woman… 1737 (p. 286)

My what a big beef you have.

Step 1

Let’s mull this over for a moment before we begin.

To be honest, a beef farce just sounds like some vegan imitation meat. Like tofurkey. But the recipe sounds like some sort of like a stuffing? Only, instead of stuffing an empty cavity like you would the middle of a turkey, you cut out the beef from a bone in roast and shred it up, mix it with Bacon (not saying that’s a bad idea) and some herbs and spices and then put it back where it was. It sounds kind of neat, but honestly, who has the time for stuff like this?

Step 2

“Pieces of Beef only are farced that are dressed à la Braise; that is to say, those that are commonly called Roasting Pieces“

Why doesn’t my stew meat ever look like this?

Translation:

I think we’re talking about stew meat here. Things that you would braise would be tough with a lot of connective tissue, I think.

Step 3

“and those may be farced with a Salpicon”

A+ chopped meat presentation, but what’s with the ladles?

Translation:

A salpicon is a meaty cucumber ragout that you stuff in a red meat roast, so I suppose we should think of this as akin to ground beef stuffing, but probably chopped by hand.

Step 4

“the Receipt, for making of which, see hereafter”

Receipt, you say.

Translation:

Yes, I know a receipt is a recipe, but I will never not find this funny. Carry on to more beefy goodness…

Step 5

“Or else when your Beef is almost roasted, raise up the Skin or Outside of it, and take the Flesh of the Middle, which you must shred very small,”

Hi, beef, how you doing?

Translation:

So, when your roast is about 2/3 done, you peel off the outer fat layer (think rib roast) and cut out some of the actual meat and mince it up like we talked about in Step 3.

Step 6

“with the Fat of Bacon and Beef, fine Herbs, Spices, and good Garnishings”

This step looks so healthy without the bacon and beef fat.

Translation:

Add a bunch of herbs and whatever else you have to your minced up partially roasted beef. And include some beef fat and some bacon fat. One might say the necessity for both fats is suspect, but we’re not going to argue. Add the fat. All the fat. Oh, and those nice herbs and spices.

Step 7

“With this you farce or stuff Beef between the Skin and the Bone, and sew it up very carefully”

That ain’t a roast beef, this is a roast beef.

Translation:

So now you stuff your mince back in under the fat of your roast and sew it closed with some kitchen twine. Honestly, I’d just tie the twine around the roast like you would with sort of rolled meat dish.

Step 8

“to prevent the Flesh from dropping into the Dripping pan, when you make an end of roasting it.”

These are veggie burgers. My idea of a meat farce.

Translation:

So, finish roasting your stuffed roast and you’re golden? I feel like this is just someone who doesn’t really like roast beef trying to tweak what roast beef actually is. Chop it up. Add some fat and bacon and stuff. Abracadabra, I like it now. For a beef lover, this recipe is a serious farce.