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Beef Tea

Classic beef tea: 500 g of scraped raw beef placed in a crock with 2.5 dl of cold water and 1 tsp salt, left to stand for ½–1 hour, steeped 4 hours in a water bath, strained and defatted. Must not boil when reheated.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 661 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The long, classic method for beef tea: raw, scraped beef is steeped in a water bath for four hours, so that all the meat juice passes into the liquid without it boiling. This was one of the most widely used restorative drinks in older nursing.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clean and scrape the meat

    Wipe the meat with a damp cloth and scrape it along the grain with a sharp knife.

  2. 2

    Soak in cold water

    Place the meat mass in a heatproof crock or bowl, add the cold water and salt a little at a time. Stir often with a fork and let it stand for half an hour to an hour.

  3. 3

    Steep in a water bath

    Set the crock in a pot of boiling water so the water reaches halfway up the crock. Let it steep for 4 hours and stir the crock now and then.

  4. 4

    Strain and defat

    Strain the meat juice and remove all fat. If the beef tea is to be reheated, it must not boil.

Changes from the original

Measurements modernized (grams, dl, teaspoon). The "crock" is described as a heatproof bowl/jar in a water bath, and it is made clear that the broth must not boil when reheated.

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Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
1914 (proofread, p. 661) → Modernised~79% of the text changedremovedadded
½ kg. oksekjøt ¼ l. vand 500 g oksekjøtt (nyslaktet, helst av lår eller kam). 2,5 dl vann (kaldt). 1 teske ts salt. Vask Tørk av kjøttet med et fugtig klæde; en fuktig klut og skrap det langsefter trevlerne langs fibrene med en skarp kniv, læg det kniv.. Legg kjøttmassen i en varmefast krukke og tilsæt efterhaanden eller bolle, tilsett litt om litt det kolde vand kalde vannet og saltet, rør saltet. Rør ofte i det om med en gaffel, gaffel og la det staa ½—1 time. Sæt stå en halv til en time.. Sett krukken i en gryte kjele med kokende vand, la vandet naa halvparten op ad krukken, kok vann så vannet står halvveis opp på krukken. La trekke i 4 timer, timer og rør av og til i krukken. Siles, krukken.. Sil kjøttsaften og fettet fjernes. NB. Kjøttet bør være nyslagtet; helst av laar eller av kammen. fjern alt fett. Skal bif-teen vannes op, saa la varmes opp igjen, må den ikke koke.

Note on Modernised

Mål modernisert (gram, dl, teskje). «Krukke» er beskrevet som varmefast bolle/glass i vannbad, og det er presisert at kraften ikke må koke ved oppvarming.

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Frequently asked questions

What is beef tea, and what is it used for?
Beef tea is a strong meat extract of beef, made as a restorative food for the sick. The recipe appears under "Care of the sick and food for the sick" in Henriette Schønberg Erken's Great Cookbook (1914), p. 661.
Which meat should I use?
1/2 kg of beef, preferably freshly slaughtered, from the round or loin. The meat is wiped with a damp cloth and scraped along the grain with a sharp knife.
How long does it take?
The meat should first steep for ½–1 hour in 1/4 l of cold water with 1 tsp of salt, with stirring. Then the crock is set in a pot of boiling water (halfway up the crock) and cooked for 4 hours, about 5½ hours in all.
Can the beef tea be reheated?
Yes, but it must not boil when reheated. Strain the broth and remove the fat before serving.

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