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Haymakers’ Harvest Beef

Image illustrating hay harvest in England 19th Century

A recipe from Shipton-under-Wichwood, Oxfordshire, England

Image: Farmers Haymaking With Horse And Cart, Wilson Hepple (1854-1937)

by Geraldine Duncan

Serves 4 to 6

This old time recipe is typical of the fare gracing the table at harvest time. Haymaking was heavy and hard work, producing prodigious appetites, particularly when you consider that the harvesters worked from sunup to after sunset. It was essential to get the hay in before the rains came. This hearty dish could be left on the back of the stove to cook, leaving overworked hands free to prepare breads, pies, cakes and other item needed for the harvest-time table.

  • 1 beef roast (3 to 4 pounds if boneless, 4 ½ to 5 pounds, bone in)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 or 4 strips of bacon, diced, or about a cup of diced bacon scraps
  • 1 or 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 1 or 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 2 cups Home Made beef broth (or 1, 14 ½ ounce can of commercial)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce   
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon pickling spice
  • 2 carrots, cut into half-inch pieces
  • 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into half-inch pieces
  • 2 to 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch chunks
  • 10 to 12 small boiling onions, peeled
  • About ½ pound of small button mushrooms
  • Salt and fresh, coarse ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 325°. Mix the thyme, mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, sugar, and flour together and rub into all sides of the beef, massaging it well to work it into the meat. Leave sit for at least an hour. In a large heavy ovenproof dish with a tight fitting lid, gently sauté the bacon over a moderate heat until it releases most of its fat. Do not allow to become crisp. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery and gently sauté until evenly coated with the bacon fat and soft but not browned, two to three minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Place the beef in the pot, turn the heat up and sear, (brown) the meat on all sides. Return the sautéed vegetables to the pot. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaves. Put the pickling spice in a large tea ball or tie them in a square of cheesecloth and add to the pot. Cut a circle of brown paper from a grocery bag that is about an inch larger than the opening of the pot. Rub it with oil on both sides and lay on top of the pot, pushing the edges down so that they do not hang over the edge of the pot. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven. Leave undisturbed two and one-half to three hours. Remove the lid and paper and test for doneness. The meat should be fork tender. Place the carrots, parsnip, potatoes, boiling onions and mushrooms around the meat, return the lid and cook for another thirty minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the meat and vegetables to a serving plate. Skim off as much fat as possible from the pan juices. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve in a separate dish to be spooned over each serving.

In the northern hemisphere, the full moon nearest the Autumn Equinox, usually around September twenty first, rises earlier than it does the rest of the year. This fortunate occurrence made it possible for the harvesters to work late into the night, therefore making the race against the rains a bit easier; and so it was called “The Harvest Moon.”
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Nabemono, a cold weather favorite in Japan

Photo of vintage donabe, a round lidded light brown ceramic bowl with dark brown handles and a matching lid painted with a white camelia flower with dark leaves.

by D. Leilehua Yuen

Here, I share my most unusual experience with nabe, at least, what our Japanese hosts said was nabemono. Perhaps it was a specialty of that bar.

We had been performing and teaching in Yokohama, and our Japanese hosts took us and some friends to their favorite bar. The bar, and the alley it was in, were straight out of my father’s war-time reminiscences. The rainy pavement reflecting the glow of the red lanterns, noren swaying gently as patrons passed in and out. Walking up the creaky wooden steps. . . The “girlie” posters in the bar looked as if they had been there since my father’s day.

We squeezed in and sat at a high table, two Hawaiians, and five Japanese all crowding in, drawing curious stares. We decided to order nabe to share. We chose beef heart nabe.

Our beers came first. About halfway through the second beer, a little portable stove was set on our table with an iron pot of broth. When it came to a boil, about another beer later, the waitress dropped in a half beef heart. It was frozen. As it defrosted, the broth began to seethe around the edges of the heart, and bubble through the large veins. One of our party poked at it with his hashi, and when it was defrosted waved to the waitress.

After another round of beers, she began bringing assorted vegetables which were added to the pot. After the round was finished, the pot held an island of beef heart surrounded by vegetables. Individual bowls were set in front of us and our friend with the hashi produced a spoon as well and dished chunks of heart, tender vegetables, and scoops of broth out for us. It was a memorable and convivial evening.

I have never had nabe like that before or since! I miss our friends, and hope to be able to return and enjoy more of that special nabe! Meanwhile, I shall do my best and try to cook in a way that honors my Christmas present, a beautiful vintage donabe (土鍋).

Nami, over at JustOneCookbook.com has excellent nabe recipes and also gives detailed instructions for the care and use of a traditional donabe.

I have had nabemono which was served community style, with a simmering donabe full of broth in the center of the table and platters of the foods to go in it arranged beside. I also have had nabe which was arranged completely in the bowl which was then simmered.

If you make community-style nabemono, it is helpful to remember the following:

Put flavorful ingredients in first. Followed with things that take a long time to cook, such as root vegetables and the thick parts of cabbages. When the vegetables are partly cooked, add any noodles, tofu, and other things that you want to have absorb the flavors. Add proteins such as thinly sliced meats, fish, or eggs, and tender vegetables last.

You’ll want to eat everything that has been cooked in one batch, and then skim the broth, before setting in the next batch.

Nabemono Broth

My favorite broth is miso-based. Feel free to adjust to your taste.

  • 6 cups chicken or turkey broth
  • 1/2 cup mirin
  • 1 inch ginger, finely minced
  • 3 teeth garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup your favorite miso

Simmer everything except the miso together about 5 minutes. Put the miso in a large cup or small bowl. Scoop a little broth into the miso and stir well. Keep adding broth and stirring a little at a time until the miso will pour easily. Next, slowly pour it into the broth while stirring. Simmer another five minutes and the broth is ready to add your other ingredients!

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Beef Brisket

Image illustrating the beef brisket recipe

by Dana Leilehua Yuen

Here is a beef brisket using one of Geraldine’s recipes, and my cooking method. I don’t think my mother ever owned a slow cooker. I have four – two big ones and two little ones.

This recipe says, “Damn the fat! Full speed ahead!” Remember, “fat is flavor!” As Geraldine would tell us, “We all eat way too much anyway.” Following her lead, I’d rather have a few bites of something scrumptious than a plateful of something bland.

Here are the seasonings for the rub. These are the approximate proportions. Adjust to your taste. Yes, the platter was made by Geraldine. (I miss her!) The little bowls are from China.

Ingredients

Mince the onions and garlic very fine. Keep mincing!

Run the peppers through your food mill and blend with the paprika and cumin. I love the fragrance of this blend! I reminds me of the spice blend used on the fried peas vendors would bring to the trains when I was in Indonesia.

Now, thoroughly mix together the garlic, onions, spices, and sugar.

Take a lovely brisket and lay it on a platter with the fatty side up. Coat the top with the blend and let it stand, covered. 

While the brisket is standing, chop up some nice roots and veggies for the slow cooker. You want a thick layer on the bottom. These are going to provide flavor and steam for the brisket, and keep it from lying in its fat as it cooks. The veggies will absorb a bunch of that fat, and some people may not want to eat them but I love the flavor. Just have a huge green salad and eat the pot veggies as a treat. 

Set the brisket on top of the veggies and cook on high for a couple of hours, then reduce to low and cook overnight or until as tender as you like.

Remove the brisket and set it on a carving platter. Leave to set at least 15 minutes before carving.

The veggies will be drenched in the fat and juices. 

Remove and drain them. They are delicious, but very rich. Enjoy, just don’t eat too much!

Keep warm while you prepare the sides and sauces.

Separate the fat and the juices so you can serve the brisket au jus. 

( “Au jus” means “with sauce.” So, you serve meat au jus, you don’t serve meat WITH au jus. That is redundant.)

On the left is the fat. I like to save it and use it for cooking omelettes. You don’t need much, just enough to oil the skillet. On the right is le jus. Put it in a lovely heat-resistant pitcher and serve piping hot with the brisket.

Enjoy!

On the left, my husband, Manu Josiah. On the right is our friend, Chris Okano, proprietor of Kitchen Umeko.

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