Roast Fillet of Beef is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic method of roasting a fillet of beef that's larded with bacon and pickled in vinegar with onions prior to roasting. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Roast Fillet of Beef.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
ROAST FILLET OF BEEF (Larded).
623. INGREDIENTS.—About 4 lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin, 1 onion, a small bunch of parsley, salt and pepper to taste, sufficient vinegar to cover the meat, glaze, Spanish sauce, No. 411.
Mode.—Lard the beef with bacon, and put it into a pan with sufficient vinegar to cover it, with an onion sliced, parsley, and seasoning, and let it remain in this pickle for 12 hours. Roast it before a nice clear fire for about 1-1/4 hour, and, when done, glaze it. Pour some Spanish sauce round the beef, and the remainder serve in a tureen. It may be garnished with Spanish onions boiled and glazed.
Time.—1-1/2 hour. Average cost, exclusive of the sauce, 4s.
Sufficient for 6 or 8 persons.
Seasonable at any time.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
2kg fillet of sirloin
streaky bacon
1 onion
small bunch of parsley
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
enough vinegar to cover the meat
meat glaze, as made in the economy of second stocks or broth recipe Spanish sauce, No. 411
Method:
Stretch the bacon with the back of a knife and use to cover the beef. Place in a large bowl then add the onion, parsley and seasonings. Cover with vinegar then set aside to pickle for 12 hours.
After this time, remove the beef (with its covering of bacon) and place in a roasting tin. Place in an oven pre-heated to 200°C and roast for 80 minutes. Remove the bacon then glaze the meat before covering loosely with foil and setting aside to rest for 20 minutes.
After this time, place the meat on a serving dish, pour over a little of the Spanish sauce and serve the remainder in a tureen or sauce boat.
