Recipe Manuscript

To Pot Charr Fish

Name: To Pot Charr Fish
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 60
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 60 Arctic char, cleaned (about 4–5 kg total — substitute with trout if needed); 30 g ground black pepper; 15 g ground nutmeg; 30–40 g salt; 4 kg unsalted butter; 30 g ground cinnamon; 15 g ground mace; 8 g ground cloves; 15 g ground nutmeg (additional for spice mix); Extra coarse salt for finishing (optional); Clean paper and twine (for sealing jars)

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720 approximately

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1720

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Pot Charr Fish

"Cut of the fins & take of the heads & gills, scrape the blood well out of the lodgers at the back bone, clean wipe them twice over, season them with black pepper, nutmeg & salt. to five dozen of Charrs milt nine pound of butterr, when you are in the pott you intend to bake them in, put them in lays with the back upwards) till they are all in. put them in the pott, when the bone is as soft as marrow at the head, your fish is enough, when they come from the oven take them carefully out least you break them, lay them on a board to drain from the gravy, have your sweet seasoning ready beat & mixt. to five dozen of fish take one oz of cinnamon, half an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of nutmegs, & a little salt, rub them very well with this inside & ontside, lay a little of this seasoning at the bottom, & then lay a row of the fish with the head of one to the tail of another. I seldom put more than one row of fish in a pott, pour the butterr they was baked in clean from the dross upon them to cover them, & when cold put some white paper over them, & some of a coarser sort bond & tyed down fitt for carriage."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe uses idiosyncratic spelling ('pott', 'Charrs', 'milt' for 'melt', 'ontsides') and lacks strict measurements for smaller flavorings, reflecting informal, orally-transmitted kitchen practice of the time. Directions are sequential but sometimes meander, assuming familiarity with local fish, available cookware, and preservation technique. The repetition ('wipe them twice over') and stress on draining and layering reveal a world where cleanliness and methodical arrangement were marks of good housekeeping. Spices are measured for a typical large batch and can be halved or quartered for modern kitchens.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 approximately - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 approximately (1720)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful window into early 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary tome brims with recipes, culinary wisdom, and the flavors of a bygone era—offering food enthusiasts a taste of both tradition and intrigue.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from early 18th-century England, around 1720, a time when fish preserving methods like potting were essential for both storage and transport, especially before refrigeration. Char was—and remains—a prized freshwater fish, particularly in the Lake District. Such recipes were common in the households of the gentry or those with access to plentiful fish and butter. The inclusion of warming spices indicates both wealth and the influence of global trade. Potting fish in spiced clarified butter acted both as a preservative and as a luxurious way to serve fish at banquets or while travelling.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, this dish would require a sharp knife for cleaning fish, a small spoon or similar implement to remove blood from the spine, a large baking crock or lidded earthenware vessel for cooking, and a heavy oven—often wood-fired. After baking, the fish were drained on boards (often simple wood), seasoned by hand, and stored in glazed ceramic jars or pots. Butter was clarified either over a fire or in the oven, and parchment and cloth tied with twine secured the preserve for storage.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

Ingredients

60 Arctic char, cleaned (about 9–11 lb total — substitute with trout if needed)
1 oz ground black pepper
0.5 oz ground nutmeg
1–1.5 oz salt
9 lb unsalted butter
1 oz ground cinnamon
0.5 oz ground mace
0.25 oz ground cloves
0.5 oz ground nutmeg (additional for spice mix)
Extra coarse salt for finishing (optional)
Clean paper and twine (for sealing jars)

Instructions

Begin by taking 60 Arctic char (or substitute with trout if char is unavailable), remove fins, heads, and gills.
Scrape the blood thoroughly from alongside the spine using a small knife or spoon.
Wipe the fish clean inside and out with a damp cloth, repeating for extra cleanliness.
Season each fish with ground black pepper, nutmeg, and salt.
Melt about 9 lb unsalted butter and use it to layer the fish in a large ovenproof pot or deep roasting dish, placing each fish with the back upwards, stacking carefully in a single layer.
Bake at 300°F until the bones, especially near the head, are soft like marrow—this may take two hours or more.
Remove the pot from the oven, and carefully lift the cooked fish onto a board to drain excess cooking liquid (the 'gravy').
Mix together 1 oz ground cinnamon, 0.5 oz ground mace, 0.25 oz ground cloves, 0.5 oz ground nutmeg, and a little salt.
Rub this spice mix all over and inside each fish.
Sprinkle some spice mix in the bottom of a clean ceramic or glass storage jar, lay the fish down with the head of one nestled to the tail of the next, in a single layer if possible.
Re-cover the fish with the clarified butter from baking.
Once cooled, cover with parchment and then with a heavier paper or cloth, tied tightly for storage or transport.

Estimated Calories

800 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It usually takes about 45 minutes to clean and prep this many fish before they go in the oven, and then the baking takes at least 2 hours. Each fish is quite rich and filling, so serving one per person is a good estimate. Calories are calculated based on a whole fish with the amount of butter absorbed and some of the spice mixture.