Where's the Beef? Five Medieval Beef Soups

The walls are up! The tile is laid and waiting to be grouted. I am excited to see the kitchen coming back together again. I've gotten response with putting together these kinds of posts. Today's post features five different recipes for stewed beef, each unique, each delicious. I hope you try them and let me know how you liked them. Soon, very soon....I will be back to interpreting again.

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Thank you!

To stew Fillets of Beefe (Madge Lorwin's Dining with William Shakespeare) Tender slices of beef, stewed in wine, lemon and herbs. I make this in the crockpot and serve it over rice. It is a welcoming dish to come home to after a hard day at work. Picture at right is part of the cooking process.  Despite constantly thinking "I need a picture of the final product" I never take one. 

vj. Beef y-Stywyd. - This recipe from Two fifteenth-century cookery-books : Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55 by Thomas Austin is very reminiscent of the same flavor profiles one would expect when eating Cincinnati style chili. It was a huge hit and the taste testers were very quick to remark on how "modern" this recipe tasted. It was also very quick and easy to put together another crock pot classic.

.viij. Venyson with Furmenty. - Two recipes combined to create a comforting and tasty dish. Venison (or beef) simmered in broth, wine, and vinegar seasoned with parsley, sage, pepper, mace and cloves.  Hearty and filling when served over rice or furmenty (a creamy porridge of cracked wheat scented with saffron), or even a big chunk of bread to soak up all the flavorful broth--it would be a crime not to! You must try this.

.xxiiij. Drawyn grwel. - An unctuous and savory soup made from ground beef, cooked in a broth, thickened with oatmeal and seasoned with parsley and sage. This recipe was amazing and has changed my (and the taste testers) opinions on what gruel should be. Despite rumors to the contrary, gruel is not a flavorless, thin watery soup of unknown origin. The oats add a subtle nutty flavor, the meat is tender and the water and broth thicken considerably once cooked. A worthy dish to be served to kings and peasants alike.

.xxxvij. Autre Vele en bokenade. - Veal (or beef) and thin slivers of onions stewed gently in an almond milk based broth, flavored with warm and exotic spices and sweet currants and thickened with rice flour. Yum!! This was a beautifully easy and quick recipe to throw together, and I suspect it could be made in a crockpot. It absolutely fit the bill of "comfort food".