Spiced Round of Beef

Ingredients

• 20 lbs beef round
• 0.5 lb coarse brown sugar
• 2 oz saltpetre
• 0.75 lb common salt
• 4 oz black pepper
• 3 oz allspice
• 4 oz juniper-berries
• 1 cup water or gravy
• beef suet, chopped

Instructions

1. Rub the beef well in every part with half a pound of coarse brown sugar.
2. Let it remain for two days.
3. Reduce the saltpetre, common salt, black pepper, allspice, and bruised juniper-berries to powder and mix thoroughly.
4. Rub these spiced ingredients strongly and equally over the joint.
5. Repeat the rubbing daily for three weeks, turning the meat at the same time.
6. Wash off the spice from the beef.
7. Place the beef into a tin or covered earthen pan as nearly of its size as possible.
8. Add a cup of water or gravy to the pan.
9. Cover the top thickly with chopped beef-suet.
10. Lay a coarse thick crust over the pan and place the cover on it.
11. Bake the meat in a moderate oven for five to six hours, ensuring the oven is not so fierce as to harden the outside and taking care the joint becomes exceedingly tender.
12. Let the beef cool in the pan.
13. Clear off the suet before serving.
14. Serve cold.