Beef a la Mode

Similar to pot roast, beef a la mode is spiced and stuffed with season breadcrumbs.

Cut off the under part of a round of beef, wipe and trim off the edges, place in a deep earthen dish and pour over it spiced vinegar. This spiced vinegar may be made as follows: Boil for five minutes a breakfast cupful of vinegar, with an onion chopped fine, a little salt, mustard, pepper, cloves, and allspice. Let the meat remain in this mixture for several hours, stirring it frequently; then dress it with ten or twelve strips of salt pork cut a third of an inch square, and as long as the meat is thick insert these strips with a large larding-needle, or bore a hole in the meat with a carving steel; or, if desired, larger incisions may be made and stuffed with breadcrumbs highly seasoned, with salt, pepper, onions, thyme, marjoram, etc., moistened with hot water, a little butter and a well beaten egg. Bind the beef into shape with a narrow strip of cotton cloth, in such a manner as to retain the stuffing, and dredge with flour, then cut up two onions, half a carrot and half a turnip, and fry in fat drippings until brown, and place in a stewpan. Brown the meat all over in the same fat, and place on a trivet in the pan; half cover with boiling water, adding a little mixed herbs tied in a muslin bag; cover loosely and simmer for four hours or until quite tender. Take out carefully and remove the strings, and put on a large dish, Skim off the fat from the gravy, add more seasoning, and thicken with wetted flour worked smooth, boil for eight or ten minutes and strain over the meat. Decorate with potato balls and small onions.