Highland Beef Balls (recipe probably pre 1820s)

[silken]

Here is a recipe from 'The Scots Kitchen, F.Marian McNeill, First Printed 1929....Blackie & Sons, Glasgow... (p142)

"Highland Beef Balls (from the Highland Feill Cookery-book)

Beefsteak, suet, salt, saltpetre, black pepper, Jamaica pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves

Mince finely two pounds of lean beefsteak and one pound of suet. Add to these a dessertspoonful of black pepper, the same of Jamaica pepper, one and a half dessertspoonsfuls of salt, a teaspoonful apiece of saltpetre, sugar, and ginger, and half a teaspoonful of ground cloves. Mix well, roll into balls and cover these with melted suet... When well covered with fresh suet, they will keep for a week or ten days. When they are required for table, fry them a rich b rown in dep fat.

This preparation can be put into ox-skins and tied into links.
This is an excellent breakfast or supper dish."

I have never tried this myself, therefore, I don't know if you can get all the ingredients, but I thought it might interest you sausagemakers.. especially since this is a very old recipe... In fact, it might not be all that different from a modern one...

Fond Regards

Silken

[saucisson]

Interesting recipe, thanks,

I think jamaican pepper is all-spice

These days I think we would leave out the saltpetre altogether or cut it down 10 fold to 0.5g.

Dave

[Ianinfrance]

Interesting recipe, thanks,

I think jamaican pepper is all-spice

Dave

It is. The name Jamaican pepper may come from the French name "Poivre de Jamaique"

[Hobbitfeet]

Yes, Jamaica pepper IS allspice but not the mixture of general spices one might suppose. It is known in Jamaica as pimento berries - slightly larger and lighter than black pepper corns. It is the pimento wood which is used to BBQ the famous Jamaican jerk pork/chicken. I've never seen it for sale in this country (UK) though a specialist shop might have it. I get mine sent over in kg bags. I do have a small amount available at present if anyone's interested.

More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice