Beef Pot-au-feu

It's essential for beef pot-au-feu to simmer uninterrupted for four hours.

About six pounds of any cut of beef will do for this; tie the meat up with a string, and put it, with the bone, in a very large saucepan filled with sufficient water to cover the meat, then place on fire and boil. As the scum rises skim off with a skimmer. Do not allow the water to quite boil; this may be regulated by adding a very small quantity of cold water from time to time, which prevents bubbling and allows the scum to rise, then salt to taste, adding a whole pepper, allspice and an onion stuck with cloves, another onion toasted almost black, a leek and three carrots of average size cut in lengths, two turnips cut in four, and a bunch of herbs, such as bay leaves, thyme and marjoram, a clove of garlic and a small handful of parsley, all tied together into a bundle. The vegetables should be added gradually so as not to check the gentle simmering, which it is needful to keep uninterrupted. Skim again, and leave on stove to simmer for four hours. Strain and skim before serving; add a little sugar, and more salt to taste, make very hot and pour into a soup-tureen over small slices of toasted bread without crusts. Vegetables may be added or not, according to taste.