Victorian Beef Stew
Historical

George Chapman's Victorian Beef Stew

Associated With George Chapman (Severin Klosowski)
Prep Time 30 min
Cook Time 2-3 hours
Servings 6-8

A hearty, slow-cooked beef stew typical of Victorian-era London public houses. George Chapman ran several pubs in the East End where he served dishes like this - all while slowly poisoning his common-law wives with antimony. Some investigators considered him a prime suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders.

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Instructions

  1. Prepare the Beef: Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess.
  2. Brown the Meat: Heat beef dripping in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the beef on all sides until deeply caramelized, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
  3. Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to the pot and cook until softened and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  4. Deglaze: Pour in the dark ale, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
  5. Build the Stew: Stir in tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer. Return the browned beef to the pot along with bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and peppercorns.
  6. Slow Cook: Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. The meat should be becoming tender.
  7. Add Vegetables: Add carrots, celery, parsnips, and turnip. Continue simmering covered for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and cook another 30 minutes until all vegetables are tender and meat is falling apart.
  8. Finish: Remove bay leaves, thyme stems, and rosemary. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The gravy should be rich and thick - if too thin, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
  9. Serve: Ladle into deep bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the gravy, as they would have in a Victorian pub.

The Story Behind the Recipe

George Chapman - born Severin Klosowski in Poland in 1865 - arrived in London's East End in 1888, the same year Jack the Ripper terrorized Whitechapel. A trained barber-surgeon, Chapman eventually became a publican, running several pubs in South London where hearty fare like beef stew was standard.

Between 1897 and 1902, Chapman poisoned three of his common-law wives with antimony tartrate, administering small doses over time that caused agonizing deaths mimicking natural illness. He was finally caught when a doctor grew suspicious of his third victim's symptoms.

The Jack the Ripper Connection: Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline, who had led the Ripper investigation, was convinced Chapman was Jack the Ripper. Upon Chapman's arrest, Abberline reportedly told the arresting officer: "You've got Jack the Ripper at last." Chapman had surgical knowledge, lived in Whitechapel during the murders, and matched witness descriptions. However, criminologists note that poisoners and violent killers rarely cross methods, making the connection controversial to this day.

Chapman was hanged at Wandsworth Prison on April 7, 1903. His pubs had been known for their warm atmosphere and traditional English cooking - a disturbing facade for the calculating poisoner within.

This beef stew represents the type of rustic, comforting fare that would have been served in Chapman's establishments, where unsuspecting patrons dined while a killer tended bar.

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