Ox-cheek Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup made from an ox cheek with vegetables and spices cooked in a water-based stock coloured with gravy browning. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Ox-cheek Soup.
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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
176. INGREDIENTS.—An ox-cheek, 2 oz. of butter, 3 or 4 slices of lean ham or bacon, 1 parsnip, 3 carrots, 2 onions, 3 heads of celery, 3 blades of mace, 4 cloves, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1 bay-leaf, a teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, 1 head of celery, browning, the crust of a French roll, 6 quarts of water.
Mode.—Lay the ham in the bottom of the stewpan, with the butter; break the bones of the cheek, wash it clean, and put it on the ham. Cut the vegetables small, add them to the other ingredients, and set the whole over a slow fire for 1/4 of an hour. Now put in the water, and simmer gently till it is reduced to 4 quarts; take out the fleshy part of the cheek, and strain the soup into a clean stewpan; thicken with flour, put in a head of sliced celery, and simmer till the celery is tender. If not a good colour, use a little browning. Cut the meat into small square pieces, pour the soup over, and serve with the crust of a French roll in the tureen. A glass of sherry much improves this soup.
Time.—3 to 4 hours. Average cost, 8d. per quart.
Seasonablein winter.
Sufficientfor 12 persons.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 ox cheek
60g butter
4 slices of lean ham (or bacon)
1 parsnip. peeled and finely chopped
3 carrots, scraped and finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
3 heads of celery, finely chopped
1 head of celery, sliced
3 blades of mace
4 cloves
1 bunch of savoury herbs
1 bayleaf
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
gravy browning
crust from 1 French roll
6l water
Method:
Line the base of your stockpot with the ham then dice the butter and scatter on top. Break the bones of the ox cheek to release the marrow then wash clean and place on top of the ham. Add the vegetables (except for the sliced celery) along with the spices and bayleaf then cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. At this point add the water, bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours, or until the liquid has reduced to 4l.
Remove the cheek meat from the pan then strain the liquid into a bowl before returning to the stockpot. Mix the flour with a little water to form a smooth slurry then whisk into the soup. Add the sliced celery, season with the salt and black pepper then bring to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the celery is tender. If the soup is not dark enough for your taste at this point add a little gravy brown.
Cut the beef cheek into small cubes, add to a tureen then pour the soup over the top. Serve with the crust of the French roll in the tureen.
