SC - Re: Where's the beef OT-preserved foods

[Bethany Public Library]

Hi Allison!

The weighting and salting/spicing are necessary to make what is essentially
pressed beef, and is an ancient method for preserving meats past their
normal shelf life. Yes, it DOES press out the liquid. Excess liquid is one
of the problem one must rectify when preserving food. In addition, the
weighting gives a more compact food, and thus what you get are either
smaller portions, OR more food per cubic area. It's easier to store that
way.

One of the things we all, as "historical cooks" tend to forget when making
historical feasts in our modern lives is that the most pressing problem
facing any household is keeping enough food around to feed everyone through
the winter and the lean times. I contend that most of our feasts served in
the Modern Middle Ages aren't really accurate renditions of what real feasts
or meals would have been like (except for the High Summer ones), because we
uniformly fail to include food that has been preserved in an appropriate
manner. These foods would have been very common during the fall, winter, and
spring. Folks should think about that the next time they plan a menu
including salad or fresh vegetables in February, or fresh (adult) beef in
April or May.

I'm teaaching a generalized class at Aethelmearc Academy (weather
permitting) on the 24th about historical food preservation methods, with
samples, if you or anyone else is interested.

Cheers

Aoife


Allison wrote:
Brigid,

Your roast sounds delicious [except for the 'scribal error' of pepper!]
I thought that the directions to press the meat might result in the
weight and salt forcing liquid out of the roast.  Did that happen?  Could
the plastic wrap have prevented it happening?  This salting and pressing
method is used to get excess liquid out of eggplant, for example.  Can't
imagine why you'd want to dry out your meat unless you were making jerky,
which this is not.  Did it seem more tender, as Master A. thought might
happen?

Regards,

Allison