Slow Sunday · Heritage Recipes
Adapted from The White House Cook Book, 1887.
Smothered Beefsteak
An 1887 White House Cook Book favorite: a thin steak rolled around a sage-and-savory bread stuffing, browned, then gently braised until tender. We make it with half of a whole bavette.
TimeAbout 2½ hours (mostly hands-off)
Serves4–6
EaseMedium
CutWhole Bavette
TargetFork-tender
Ingredients
- Legacy Maker Farms 1876 Single-Source2 lb bavette (half a whole bavette), butterflied and pounded to about ½ inch
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 cup beef stock or water
- 1 tbsp flour
- For the stuffing: 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs, 1 tbsp melted butter, ½ tsp dried sage, ½ tsp dried summer savory (or thyme), 1 thin slice onion (finely chopped, optional), ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 3–4 tbsp milk
Method
- 1Mix the stuffing ingredients, adding just enough milk to make a stiff paste.
- 2Season the steak and lay it with the grain running left to right. Spread the stuffing over it, leaving a 1-inch border, then roll it up from the edge nearest you and tie it every 1½ inches.
- 3In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon until the fat renders, then remove it. Brown the roll well on all sides in the fat.
- 4Add the stock, cover, and simmer gently (or braise in a 325°F oven) for 1½–2 hours, until tender.
- 5Lift out the roll. Whisk the flour with 2 tbsp water, stir it into the liquid, and simmer until thickened.
- 6Remove the twine, slice crosswise through the beef and stuffing, and serve with the gravy.
Fork
Cook to temperature, not timeBraise until fork-tender. For whole cuts the USDA minimum is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
Slow Sunday · Heritage Recipes
Adapted from The White House Cook Book, 1887.
Smothered Beefsteak
An 1887 White House Cook Book favorite: a thin steak rolled around a sage-and-savory bread stuffing, browned, then gently braised until tender. We make it with half of a whole bavette.
TimeAbout 2½ hours (mostly hands-off)
Serves4–6
EaseMedium
CutWhole Bavette
TargetFork-tender
Ingredients
- Legacy Maker Farms 1876 Single-Source2 lb bavette (half a whole bavette), butterflied and pounded to about ½ inch
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 cup beef stock or water
- 1 tbsp flour
- For the stuffing: 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs, 1 tbsp melted butter, ½ tsp dried sage, ½ tsp dried summer savory (or thyme), 1 thin slice onion (finely chopped, optional), ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 3–4 tbsp milk
Method
- 1Mix the stuffing ingredients, adding just enough milk to make a stiff paste.
- 2Season the steak and lay it with the grain running left to right. Spread the stuffing over it, leaving a 1-inch border, then roll it up from the edge nearest you and tie it every 1½ inches.
- 3In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon until the fat renders, then remove it. Brown the roll well on all sides in the fat.
- 4Add the stock, cover, and simmer gently (or braise in a 325°F oven) for 1½–2 hours, until tender.
- 5Lift out the roll. Whisk the flour with 2 tbsp water, stir it into the liquid, and simmer until thickened.
- 6Remove the twine, slice crosswise through the beef and stuffing, and serve with the gravy.
Fork
Cook to temperature, not timeBraise until fork-tender. For whole cuts the USDA minimum is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.