Take a shin or leg of beef that has been newly killed; the fore leg is
best, as there is the most meat on it. Have it cut into three pieces,
and wash it well. To each pound allow somewhat less than a quart of
water; for instance, to ten pounds of leg of beef, nine quarts of
water is a good proportion. Put it into a large pot, and add half a
table-spoonful of salt. Hang it over a good fire, as early as six
o'clock in the morning, if you dine at two. When it has come to a
hard boil, and the scum has risen, (which it will do as soon as it
has boiled,) skim it well. Do not remove the lid more frequently than
is absolutely necessary, as uncovering the pot causes the flavour
to evaporate. Then set it on hot coals in the corner, and keep it
simmering steadily, adding fresh coals so as to continue a regular heat.
About nine o'clock, put in four carrots, one parsnip, and a large
onion cut into slices, and four small turnips, and eight tomatas, also
cut up; add a head of celery cut small. Put in a very small head of
cabbage, cut into little pieces. If you have any objection to cabbage,
substitute a larger proportion of the other vegetables. Put in also a
bunch of sweet marjoram, tied up in a thin muslin rag to prevent its
floating on the top.
Let the soup simmer unceasingly till two o'clock, skimming it well:
then take it up, and put it into a tureen. If your dinner hour is
later, you may of course begin the soup later; but it will require at
least eight hours' cooking; remembering to put in the vegetables three
hours after the meat.
If you wish to send the meat to table, take the best part of it out of
the soup, about two hours before dinner. Have ready another pot with
a dozen tomatas and a few cloves. Moisten them with a little of the
soup, just sufficient to keep them from burning. When the tomatas have
stewed down soft, put the meat upon them, and let it brown till dinner
time over a few coals, keeping the pot closely covered: then send it to
table on a dish by itself. Let the remainder of the meat be left in the
large pot till you send up the soup, as by that time it will be boiled
to rags and have transferred all its flavour to the liquid, which
should be served up free from shreds.
This soup will be greatly improved by the addition of a few dozen
ochras cut into very thin slices, and put in with the other vegetables.
You may put Lima beans into it, green peas, or indeed any vegetables
you like: or you may thicken it with ochras and tomatas only.
Next day, take what is left of the soup, put it into a pot, and simmer
it over hot coals for half an hour: a longer time will weaken the
taste. If it has been well made and kept in a cool place, it will be
found better the second day than the first.
If your family is very small, and the leg of beef large and the season
winter, it may furnish soup for four successive days. Cut the beef in
half; make soup of the first half, in the manner above directed, and
have the remainder warmed next day: then on the third day make fresh
soup of the second half.
We have been minute in these directions; for if strictly followed, the
soup, though plain, will be found excellent.
If you do not intend to serve up the meat separately, break to pieces
all the bones with a mallet or kitchen cleaver. This, by causing them
to give out their marrow, &c., will greatly enrich the liquid. Do this,
of course, when you first begin the soup. It is a slovenly and vulgar
practice to send soup to table with shreds of meat and bits of bone in
it.