On Boiling Beef

One of the most glorious dishes conceivable and also one of the easiest to make is boiled beef. Its preparation consists of nothing more than combining meat with vegetables and a liquid and letting the whole simmer on the stove until the meat is tender, from 2 to 4 hours.

Three of the best cuts of beef for the dish are flanken, brisket, and shin of beef. The shin, which has the bone, is the least expensive of all, and one large shin will serve an astonishingly large number of people. The best meat has a high fat and gelatin content. Very lean beef is not good for this dish because it will be tough and dry when cooked.