Essence of Beef

Syn. E ence of red meats , . Prep. 1. From lean beef (chopped small), 1 lb.; water, 1 ⁄ 2 pint; place them in a bottle, which they will only half fill, and agitate them violently for half an hour; then throw the whole on a sieve, and receive the liquid in a jug; next boil the undi olved portion in water, 1 pint, for 20 minutes; strain, mix the decoction with the cold infusion, evaporate the liquid to the consistence of a thin syrup, adding spice, salt, ., to taste, and pour the e ence, whilst boiling hot, into bottles, jars, or (still better) tin cans, which must then be at once hermetically corked, sealed, or soldered up, and stowed away in a cold place. In this state it will keep a long time. (Brande’s.) 2. (Ellis.) Take of lean beef (sliced), a sufficient quantity to fill the body of a porter bottle; cork it up loosely, and place it in a pot of cold water, attaching the neck, by means of a string, to the handle of the pot; boil for 1 1 ⁄ 2 to 2 hours, then decant the liquid and skim it. Spices, salt, wine, brandy, ., may be added as before. Highly nutritious and sustaining.