Braised Beef

Braising is steaming meat in its own juices in the oven - a method suitable for solid pieces of meat not tender enough for roasting, but of better quality than those utilized in soups and stews. The retention of steam under a cover, together with basting with the broth, keeps the meat moist enough to permit the juices to flow, while the oven heat is intense enough to develop a rich flavor in both meat and broth.

Three pounds of beef from the lower part of the round,

2 thin slices of fat salt pork, or drippings, 1/4 cup of carrot, turnip, onion and celery, or onion only if other vegetables are not available. Try out pork and remove scraps or melt drippings. Wipe meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and brown entire surface in hot fat. When turning meat, avoid piercing with fork or skewer, which allows the inner juices to escape. Place in deep heavy kettle or casserole, surround with vegetables and 3 cups of boiling water, add 2 whole cloves and a tiny bit of bay leaf; cover closely and cook about 4 hours in a very slow oven, basting every half hour and turning after the second hour. Throughout the cooking the liquid should be kept below the boiling point.

When cooked remove the meat and strain the liquid remaining; remove vegetables, which are used for flavoring only. For each cupful of liquid allow 1 level tablespoon-ful of flour and 1 tablespoonful of beef dripping. Melt the fat, add flour, mix until smooth, then cook until frothy and add liquid and stir until mixture thickens. Several olives, green or ripe, or a tablespoonful of horseradish may be added to the sauce. If the water has not been allowed to boil, there should be sufficient liquid to make the sauce.

Casserole Of Beef

Cut round steak or flank in pieces about 2 inches square; roll in flour and let brown in salt pork fat or drippings; remove to a casserole and add broth or hot water to cover; add more fat to the pan and in it brown a small onion for each service, add these to the casserole; cover and let cook about 2 hours, or until nearly tender. Cut 3 potatoes and

3 carrots in cubes; parboil 5 minutes, then brown in a frying pan, add to meat 1/2 hour before serving together with seasoning of salt and pepper. Serve from the baking dish or in individual casseroles.

Boiled Beef

Add meat to rapidly boiling unsalted water sufficient to cover. Reduce heat at once, cover closely and cook below the boiling point or at the simmering point until meat is so tender it almost breaks to pieces. Allow about 45 minutes cooking for each pound of meat. Drain and serve with a horseradish sauce. A very tough, inexpensive piece of meat can be made very palatable cooked in this manner. Sliced onions, carrots, etc., may be added to the water to impart flavor to the meat.

Brown Beef Stew With Dumplings

Remove all fat and gristle from 1 1/2 pounds of beef; cut into cubes. Dredge meat with flour. Heat 3 tablespoons of fat and add 1 small onion minced fine. Add meat and fry until well browned. Add 3 cups of boiling water and salt and pepper to taste. Cover closely and cook at simmering point about 2 hours. Fifteen minutes before stew is to be served add dumplings; cover closely and steam 12 minutes. For dumplings take 1 cupful of sifted flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and about 1/3 cupful of milk. Sift dry ingredients and add milk slowly, beating until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls over top of steaming hot stew, cover closely and steam 12 minutes.

Corned Beef Or Boiled Dinner

Wipe meat and put in a kettle. Cover with cold water and bring very slowly to the boiling point. Remove all scum and reduce heat to simmering. Cook until tender; it usually takes about 1 hour for each pound of corned beef. Prepare cabbage, turnips, carrots and potatoes for boiling, cut cabbage into eighths, removing all tough outer leaves. Cut carrots in halves and the turnips and potatoes in sizes to correspond with the carrots. Remove the cooked corn beef to a casserole or covered kettle to keep hot. Take fat off of the top of the water the beef was cooked in; bring to the boiling point, add vegetables and cook until tender, allowing about 25 minutes. Do not overcook cabbage; it should hold its shape. Place meat on a hot platter, surround with potatoes, turnips, and carrots. Serve cabbage in a separate dish.