Historic recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook "A Domestic Cook Book". Page 37. One of the earliest known cookbooks by an African American author.
Sewing the beef tightly in cloth creates uniform pressure that compresses the meat fibers as they cook, resulting in a dense, sliceable texture similar to deli meat. The long, gentle poaching (90 minutes) breaks down connective tissue while the confinement prevents the meat from shrinking unevenly. Cooling the meat while still wrapped allows it to set in its compressed shape, and the spices penetrate deeply during the extended cooking time, flavoring throughout.
Sew tightly in a bag a round of beef, first sticking it full of cloves and pepper.
When about half-done, throw into the water a handful of cloves, with salt, pepper, and .
This dish is designed to be made ahead. The pressed beef must be cooked, cooled completely in its wrapping (about 2 hours at room temperature), then refrigerated for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days before slicing. The longer it chills, the easier it is to slice thinly.
Store the whole pressed beef wrapped in plastic wrap or sliced in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once sliced, consume within 3 days for best quality. This is not suitable for freezing as it will compromise the texture.
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When cold, take off the cloth, slice thin, and eat cold for tea.
