To Pott Venison
From the treasured pages of Various Cookeries
Unknown Author
To Pott Venison
"Take an hanch of Venison, cut it upon the lean side in deep nicks & lard it with the Fatt where it can be cutt off & let it ly a Night or 2 salted with salt peter, Then season it with Mace Cloves & Gross pepper, & lay it with the fatt side downward, & put as much Butter to it as will bake it, let it stand in the Oven till it be very Tender, then take it out of the pott, & let the Gravy drain Clean from it, and put it in the pot you design to keep it in, and put good Clarified butterr upon it, till it be well covered."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe, like many of the time, is written in a brief, flowing prose style—no standardized ingredients, strict quantities, or step-by-step instructions. Ingredients are referenced by their function ("as much Butter as will bake it") rather than exact weights. Spelling is creative ('ly' for 'lie', 'mace' and 'cloves' left uncapitalized), and punctuation is sparse or improvised. Typical of 17th-century English recipes, there is an assumption the cook is experienced, with an intuitive grasp of techniques like larding, salting, and preserving in butter. The lack of timings and temperatures reminds us that culinary precision is a modern luxury!
Title
Various Cookeries (1690)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1690
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful glimpse into late 17th-century kitchens, this book brims with recipes, methods, and culinary wisdom passed down through generations, capturing the essence of historical gastronomy.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes to us from late 17th-century England, a time when venison was a prized game meat primarily reserved for the nobility and upper classes. 'Potted' meats, preserved under a layer of clarified butter, were a culinary solution for keeping precious foods edible long before refrigeration. Such pies or pots were often served cold and sliced, and would grace grand sideboards at banquets or hunting feasts. The recipe is found in a late 1600s manuscript, revealing not only the flavors of the period—warm spices like mace and cloves—but also the importance of preservation and the luxury of rich, buttery preparations in high-status homes.
The original cook would have used a large, sharp carving knife to make the nicks for larding and a long larding needle to thread in the pork fat. A deep earthenware or metal baking pot (often called a 'pott') or a heavy-duty roasting pan would be essential. The baking was done in a large wood-fired oven, where temperature was managed by experience and feel. For preserving, a stoneware or ceramic storage jar was typical, along with a strainer to clarify butter and pour it over the cooled meat. No modern refrigeration or thermometers—just craftsmanship and centuries of kitchen wisdom!
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings
10
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 haunch of venison (4.5-6.5 lb, or substitute with beef or lamb)
- 9 oz pork back fat (for larding, or substitute with unsmoked bacon)
- 1 oz sea salt
- 0.2 oz saltpetre (potassium nitrate; omit if unavailable)
- 0.07 oz ground mace
- 0.07 oz ground cloves
- 0.3 oz coarse black pepper
- 11-14 oz unsalted butter (baking)
- 9 oz clarified butter (for sealing)
Instructions
- Begin with a haunch (hind leg) of venison, weighing about 4.5-6.5 lb.
- Cut deep nicks into the lean side and lard these incisions with strips of pork back fat (about 9 oz).
- Rub the joint thoroughly with a mixture of 1 oz fine salt and 0.2 oz saltpetre (potassium nitrate), then allow it to rest, covered and refrigerated, for 1-2 nights.
- Afterwards, season the venison generously with 0.07 oz ground mace, 0.07 oz ground cloves, and 0.3 oz cracked black pepper.
- Place the joint, fat side down, in a deep baking dish or Dutch oven.
- Dot with 11-14 oz unsalted butter—enough to surround and partly cover the meat.
- Bake (covered) at 300°F for 4-5 hours, until the venison is very tender.
- Remove the meat from the vessel and let the juices drain thoroughly.
- Transfer the cooled venison to a clean container for storage.
- Cover the meat completely with 9 oz clarified butter, sealing it from air.
- Store refrigerated, or in a cool place if following traditional methods.
Estimated Calories
650 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will need about 25 minutes to prepare the venison, lard it, spice it, and get everything ready. The cook time is the time the venison spends in the oven. Most of the waiting time is spent curing the venison in the fridge for 1-2 nights, but that is not included in the active prep or cook time. Each serving has about 650 calories, and this recipe makes 10 servings.
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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