Although this is called gravy soup, I do wonder if it is more like stew. I assume where she says to “prepare a carrot…” etc that she means to chop or slice the vegetables and to finely chop the herbs. Also, she’s left out a word where it says “…a few cloves…” and I take it that this should be garlic.

UPDATE: I stand corrected, she didn’t leave out any words. She probably intended the spice clove to be used. 

Gravy Soup

Take 1 lb lean fresh beef, cut it up into small pieces free from fat. Put into a saucepan a piece of butter the size of a walnut, make it quite hot. Throw the beef into the pan & with a spoon press it & move it about for 5 or 6 minutes. Put the lid on the pan & allow it to sweat for 3 or 4 minutes. Then prepare a piece of carrot, a piece of turnip, an onion, a blade of mace, a few cloves, a few peppercorns, a sprig of parsley, thyme & celery. Add these to the beef & allow them all to sweat for 5 minutes longer. Then add slowly 8 pints hot water. Let the  soup simmer slowly for about 1 1/2 hours. Strain it & skim off any fat that may come to the top.