Take the bones and the tough pieces left from a cold roast of beef. After cutting all the meat from the bones, remove all the fat from the meat and put it on the fire in a frying-pan. Cut the lean meat into small pieces. Place the bones in a stewpan and lay the meat on top of them. Take from the frying-pan five tablespoonfuls of liquid fat and put it in another frying-pan. Add the minced vegetables, and cook slowly for half an hour. At the end of that time draw the pan forward to a hotter part of the range and cook rapidly for three minutes, stirring all the time. Now draw the vegetables to one side of the pan and press out the fat, then put the vegetables in the stewpan. Put the flour into the fat remaining in the pan, and stir until it becomes smooth and brown; then add the water, and stir until it boils. Add the salt and pepper and cook for three minutes. Pour this gravy into the stewpan, and, covering the pan, set it back where the contents will just bubble at one side for two hours and a half. The potatoes are then to be added and the stewpan brought forward to a hotter place. At the end of half an hour the stew will be done. Remove the bones and serve the stew on a warm dish. It may be garnished with a circle of small baking powder biscuit, or with dumplings.
Stew from Cold Lamb or Mutton.
With the bones and tough pieces of cold lamb or mutton a stew can be made the same as beef stew with cold roast beef. If you have the small white turnips use a gill of these cut in cubes and fried with the other vegetables.
Creamed Dried Beef.
3 ounces of smoked dried beef.
1 heaping tablespoonful of butter.
1 teaspoonful of flour.
1-1/2 gills of milk.
Have the beef cut in slices as thin as shavings, and put it in a bowl. Pour upon it one pint of boiling water, and let it stand for two minutes; then turn off the water and drain the beef dry. Put the butter on the fire, in a frying-pan, and when it becomes hot add the beef. Cook for three minutes, stirring all the time. Now pour on one gill of cold milk. Mix the half-gill of milk with the flour, and stir it into the cooking mixture. Cook for two minutes, and serve.