Rothes Wildpret Mit Kappern
"Red Game Meat With Capers"
From the treasured pages of Augsburgisches Kochbuch
Written by Sophie Juliane Weiler
Rothes Wildpret Mit Kappern
"Man kann hiezu von der Brust oder vom Bug nehmen, solches zu kleinen Stücken zerhauen, waschen, und in gesalzenem Wasser kochen; aber nicht ganz weich. Dann röstet man, wann es Wildpret für 4 Personen ist, 3 Löffel voll Mehl in heißgemachtem Schmalz ganz dunkelgelb; rühret es mit der Brühe, worinnen das Wildpret gesotten worden ist, an; thut klein geschnittene Citronenschaalen, nach Gutdünken Essig, ein wenig Zucker, gestoßene Nägelein, und 3 bis 4 Löffel voll Kappern dazu: legt das Wildpret hinein, und läßt es vollends weich kochen, dann richtet man es an. Man kann das Wildpret auch wie Rindfleisch Nr. 105. und 106. dämpfen; es muß aber ein fleischichtes Stück seyn."
English Translation
"You can use meat from the breast or shoulder, cut it into small pieces, wash it, and cook it in salted water; but not until completely tender. Then, for four people, roast 3 spoonfuls of flour in hot lard until it is a deep golden yellow. Stir it with the broth in which the game meat was cooked, add finely chopped lemon peel, vinegar to taste, a little sugar, crushed cloves, and 3 to 4 spoonfuls of capers. Place the game meat in it and let it finish cooking until tender, then serve. You can also steam the game meat as you would beef (see No. 105 and 106), but it must be a meaty piece."
Note on the Original Text
Recipes of this era were written as practical instructions for experienced cooks, with minimal measurements and an expectation of skill and intuition. The spelling is somewhat archaic (e.g., 'Wildpret' instead of 'Wildbret', 'Kappern' for 'Kapern'). The text often uses conditional instructions (e.g., 'man kann', 'nach Gutdünken'), suggesting flexibility and adaptation based on what was available or the cook's preferences. Modern cooks benefit from the clarity of specific measurements, but historical recipes like this allow interpretation and a close reading is needed to infer precise timing and quantities.
Title
Augsburgisches Kochbuch (1788)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Sophie Juliane Weiler
Era
1788
Publisher
In der Joseph-Wolffischen Buchhandlung
Background
A delightful journey through 18th-century German cuisine, the Augsburgisches Kochbuch serves up a generous helping of traditional recipes and household wisdom, inviting readers to savor the flavors and customs of its era.
Kindly made available by
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
This recipe hails from Augsburg, Germany, and was published in 1788 in Sophie Juliane Weiler's 'Augsburgisches Kochbuch', a rich culinary resource for late 18th-century upper-middle-class kitchens. The book's recipes deftly bridge the baroque and early modern eras, balancing courtly luxury with practical bourgeois sensibilities. Game dishes such as this one reflect both the regional abundance of wild meats and the continental love of piquant, complex flavors—here, the tartness of vinegar and capers is offset by sweet and aromatic notes. The use of roux and reduction is a testament to the growing French culinary influence in German speaking regions at this time.
In the late 18th century, cooks would have used large iron or copper pots for boiling and stewing meat, and heavy pans for roasting flour in lard to prepare the sauce. Cutting the meat was done with robust knives on thick wooden boards. Once ready, the dish would be arranged on ceramic platters for serving. Open fire or wood-fired stoves provided the heat, and ladles or wooden spoons were standard for stirring sauces and serving the finished dish. Precise measuring was less common, so cooks relied on experience and taste, using wooden spoons or small ladles as rough tools for portioning ingredients.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
4
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 lbs wild game meat (venison shoulder or breast; beef can be substituted if necessary)
- Salted water (about 1 quart, to cover meat)
- 1 1/2 oz lard or clarified butter (as a substitute for historical 'Schmalz')
- 1 oz (about 1/4 cup) wheat flour
- Peel from 1/2 lemon, finely chopped
- 1–2 tbsp (1/2–1 fl oz) white wine or cider vinegar
- 1 tsp (about 0.2 oz) sugar
- 2–3 whole cloves, crushed (or 1/2 tsp ground cloves)
- 1 1/4–1 1/2 oz capers (about 3–4 tablespoons)
- Optional: extra beef stock if more liquid is needed
Instructions
- To prepare Rothes Wildpret mit Kappern (Red Game Meat with Capers), begin by selecting about 1 3/4 lbs of wild game meat (such as venison), preferably from the breast or shoulder.
- Cut the meat into small pieces and wash them well.
- Cook the pieces in a pot with salted water, but remove them before they become very tender.
- In a separate pan, heat 3 tablespoons (about 1 1/2 oz) of lard until hot, then add 3 tablespoons (about 1 oz) of flour, stirring constantly, and roast until the flour turns a deep golden brown.
- Gradually add in the strained cooking broth from the meat, stirring well to make a smooth, richly colored sauce.
- Now, add finely chopped lemon peel (from about half a lemon), 1–2 tablespoons of vinegar (to taste), a pinch of sugar, a few crushed cloves, and 3–4 tablespoons (about 1 1/4–1 1/2 oz) of capers.
- Return the partially cooked meat to the sauce, cover, and simmer gently until the meat is fully tender and has absorbed the flavors of the sauce.
- Arrange the meat and sauce attractively on a serving dish.
- Alternatively, the recipe notes that the game can also be braised according to techniques used for beef in contemporary recipes, but the cut should be thick and meaty.
Estimated Calories
350 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Prepping the ingredients, like cutting the meat and chopping lemon peel, will take about 20 minutes. Cooking involves simmering the meat, making the sauce, and finishing everything together, which takes about 1 hour. Each serving has around 350 calories and the recipe serves 4 people.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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