There are several methods of making this dish; the hash erroneously termed alamode beef, sold at eating-houses, is a very different dish to the true beef a la mode. The following is called the "old Bath" receipt.

Take a quantity of the buttock, or the leg-of-mutton piece, the clod, or where expense is not an object, the rump of beef as lean as possible; cut away the fat if there is any, make a mixed powder of cloves-, about twenty or thirty, the same quantity of mace, with half an ounce of allspice, savory, parsley, a handful of thyme, knotted marjoram, and all other sweet herbs chopped very fine; mix them in a glass of vinegar. Take some fat bacon, cut it into slices as long as the beef is thick, and about a quarter of an inch in thickness, roll it well in the powdered spice and herbs, make incisions of the requisite depth, and insert the bacon in the beef, which may be rubbed well over with what remains of the powdered spice, etc, in the vinegar; then dredge flour over the beef, place it in a baking dish with a lump of butter rolled in flour, with a pint of water; bake it in the oven, strain the gravy, and serve with pickles on the top; if after being larded it should, instead of being baked, be put into the stewpan, add to it as much water as will cover it, four onions chopped fine, half a dozen cloves of garlic, as many bay leaves, a few champignons, half a pint of ale, as much port wine; add white pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt, a teaspoonful of pyroligneous acid; strew three parts of a pint of fine bread raspings over it, cover down close and stew six or eight hours, according to the size of the beef; when it has stewed sufficiently, take out the beef, keep it hot over boiling water, strain the gravy, remove the fat, champignons, etc.; boil up again, season to palate, pour the gravy over the beef and send to table.

This is sometimes preferred cold, in which case serve it cut in slices, with the gravy, which will be a jelly.