SC - Medieval Ribs? Or Barbecue Beef?

[Cindy Renfrow]

>Greetings! Now that I have your attention, I'd like some opinions, please.
>
>Mistress Sincgefiu (Cindy Renfrow) has a recipe called Stwed Beeff in "Take
>a Thousand Eggs or More, Vol 2"---original edition,  from the Harleian Ms
>#4016 (pg 202). The translation  (because I have no "thorn" on by keyboard)
>reads thusly:
>
>"17 Stewed Beef. Take Ribs of fresh beef, And (if thou will) roast it till
>it is nigh enough; then put it in a fair small pot; cast thereto parsley
>and onions minced, raisins of Corinth, powdered pepper, cinnamon, cloves,
>sandalwood, saffron, and salt; then cast thereto wine and a little vinegar;
>set a lid on the pot, and let it boil soakingly on a fair charcoal till it
>is enough; then lay the flesh, in dishes, and the syrup thereupon, And
>serve it forth."
>
>It is my contention that this is a recipe for meat that has been roasted,
>then cooked  with liquid till it is fallen off the bone, then served with
>the sweet-spicy liquid it was cooked in. There is the possibility, however,
>that this is "Ribs" as we modernly know them, with a sweet-spicy red sauce
>rather than modern tomato-based barbecue sauce, since there is no directive
>to remove the bones or strain them from the sauce.
>
>Opinions, or argument for or against ribs, please? I'd like to try this en
>masse soon, as this is a perfect camp-ground event dish if one posesses the
>fire-tools and pots.
>
>Thanks
>
>Aoife (who lived in the south on a diet of ribs-n-cheese-grits for 2 years
>in her misspent youth and has never been the same since).
>
 (This recipe is on p. 480, Vol. 2,  of the new 2nd edition.)

Hello! I'm glad to see someone trying this one.  It sounds good.  IMO,
definitely 'for' ribs served with a sauce over top.

If I were to do it, I'd roast (broil/grill) the ribs, maybe 5 minutes on
each side, & then cut them into serving-size portions & put them in the pot
with the rest of the ingredients (already mixed & cooked a bit).  Note that
the instructions are to boil it soakingly, or slowly, over a few coals.  I
would cook the ribs long enough to absorb some flavor, but not long enough
for the meat to fall off the bones; "till it is enough" is open to personal
interpretation.  Note: the recipe for 'ffelettes in galentyne' (new vol. 1,
pp. 156-7) is similar in its steps.  The partial roasting (or broiling)
brings out the flavor of the meat, & the simmering tenderizes the flesh &
adds other flavors.

(Note:  make sure your ribs are cut small enough to fit in the pot.)


Cindy Renfrow/Sincgiefu
renfrow at skylands.net
Author & Publisher of "Take a Thousand Eggs or More, A Collection of 15th
Century Recipes" and "A Sip Through Time, A Collection of Old Brewing
Recipes"
http://www.alcasoft.com/renfrow/


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