Beef Olives
Learn about this recipe from our Historic Foodways staff, then try it at home.
The British term for wrapping meat around a stuffing, browning it and finishing it in a brown sauce is called an “olive,” although there are no olives in it. Perhaps the word referred to the final “olive-like” shape the meat took when it was tied up and cooked. Beef, veal, and even fish olives have been part of British cuisine since the 16th century.
Learn how we make this recipe in our kitchens based on the 18th-century description below, then use our 21st-century translation to try the recipe at home!
Watch How It's Made
18th Century
Cut slices of a fat rump of beef six inches long and half an inch thick, beat them well with a pestle, make a forcemeat of bread crumbs, fat bacon chopped, parsley, a little onion, some shred suet, pounded mace, pepper and salt; mix it up with the yelks of eggs...
— Randolph, Mary. “Virginia House-Wife”
21st Century
Ingredients
- 6 lb. rump roast
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- 2 slices of bacon, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 oz. beef suet, shredded
- ½ tsp. mace
- Salt and pepper
- 2 egg yolks
- 10 wooden skewers
- 1 cup of lard
- 1 pint beef broth
- 2 oz. flour
- 2 oz. butter
- 1 pint red wine
- 1 cup mushroom catsup or Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Cut meat into slices about 6 inches long and ½ inch thick. Beat them flat with a metal meat mallet.
- Make a forcemeat by combining the bread crumbs, bacon, parsley, onion, suet, mace, salt and pepper. Add in the two egg yolks to make a thick sausage-like paste that holds together.
- Lay the meat on a flat surface. Spread ¼ to ½ cup of the mixture on each slice of meat. Starting at one end, roll each piece of meat into a tight cylinder, securing the roll with wooden skewers. Try not to squeeze the forcemeat out the ends.
- Roll the remaining forcemeat into ½ inch to 1 inch balls and set aside.
- Heat the lard to 350 degrees and brown each piece of meat on all sides. When nicely colored, set them to drain on a drying rack until all the meat is done.
- Press the flour and butter together with your hands until it forms one mass.
- Using a straight sided sauté pan, add the beef broth, wine and Worcestershire Sauce and bring it to a simmer. Add in the butter/flour mixture and cook until it begins to thicken.
- Add in the beef rolls into the pan, cover and simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes until tender.
- Fry the remaining forcemeat balls as a garnish.
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