Old-Fashioned Potted Beef
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Chill Time: 4 hours
Servings: 6
An old-fashioned British beef spread made by gently simmering beef with onions, spices, and a touch of anchovy. Potted beef originated as a clever way to preserve meat before refrigeration — and it still holds up as a delicious, practical recipe today. A little anchovy adds depth without being overpowering — just a lovely, savoury umami flavour. It’s a great way to make a small amount of beef go a long way, and perfect served on toast.
Ingredients
- 500 g beef rump or topside
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 small anchovy fillets mashed (or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste)
- ¼ cup 60 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 60 g butter
- Extra butter or ghee melted (for sealing the pots)
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the beef and chop it into small pieces.
- Dice the onion and mash the anchovies into a paste.
- In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the beef, onion, anchovy paste, water, salt, cayenne, nutmeg, allspice, and butter.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water or butter during cooking if needed.
- Once tender, let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
- Use a wooden spoon (or fork) to mash the mixture until well combined. You’re not after a smooth purée — just a well-mixed, soft texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Spoon into small glass or ceramic pots, smoothing the tops.
- Pour a layer of melted ghee or butter over the top to seal.
- Refrigerate until set — ideally at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve on warm, buttered toast or crusty bread. Also makes a lovely savoury appetiser.
Video
Notes
- You can use 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste in place of the fillets — it’s widely available at most supermarkets.
- This spread keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week,
- Best served at room temperature on warm toast or crusty bread.
- For a smoother texture, you can pulse the mixture briefly in a food processor — but it’s traditionally rustic and slightly coarse.