Recipe Manuscript

Eingemachtes Wildpret Überhaupt

Name: Eingemachtes Wildpret Überhaupt
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 kg piece of venison or other game meat; 1 tablespoon (5 g) crushed juniper berries; 1 large onion, sliced; 50 g unsalted butter; 10 whole black peppercorns; 8 whole allspice berries (Neugewürz); 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 250 ml beef stock; 100 ml white wine vinegar; 100 ml soured cream (for light sauce version); 2 tablespoons (about 20 g) all-purpose flour; 30 g unsalted butter (for brown roux); 2 tablespoons (about 25 g) granulated sugar (for darker sauce version); 1 tablespoon white sugar (for darker sauce version); 2 tablespoons (30 g) capers (for darker sauce version); Optional: puff pastry wreath or lemon slices, for garnish

"Preserved Game Meat In General"

1850

From the treasured pages of Der Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen

Written by Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1850

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Eingemachtes Wildpret Überhaupt

"Man reinige ein Stück Wildpret, nachdem es mit Wachholderbeeren eingerieben worden und mürbe gelegen, mit Wasser; lasse es, wenn es von einem jungen Wild ist, blos dünsten, gebe es nämlich in eine Kasserole, darunter ein Stück Butter, eine in Scheiben geschnittene Zwiebel, etwas Pfefferkörner, Ingwer, Neugewürz, lasse es dünsten, gieße dann Suppe und Weinessig daran, lasse es weich kochen, brenne es mit brauner Einbrenn ein, gieße sauern Rahm daran, und seihe die Soß durch. Soll die Soß eine dunkle Farbe haben, so gebe man statt saurem Rahm gerösteten Zucker, ein Stück weissen Zucker und auch etwas Kapern dazu. Das Gericht kann mit einem Kranz von Butterteig oder mit Lemonien umgeben werden. Altes Wildpret muß vor dem Dünsten mit Essig, Wasser und dem angegebenen Gewürz abgekocht werden."

English Translation

"Clean a piece of game meat after rubbing it with juniper berries and letting it tenderize, wash it with water; if it is from a young animal, simply let it stew, that is, place it in a casserole with a piece of butter underneath, a sliced onion, some peppercorns, ginger, allspice, and let it stew. Then pour in broth and wine vinegar, let it cook until tender, thicken it with brown roux, add sour cream, and strain the sauce. If a dark sauce is desired, instead of sour cream, add caramelized sugar, a piece of white sugar, and also some capers. The dish can be surrounded with a ring of puff pastry or lemons. Old game meat must be boiled with vinegar, water, and the listed spices before stewing."

Note on the Original Text

The language of the recipe reflects the instructive brevity and assumption of basic kitchen knowledge typical for mid-19th-century cookbooks. Quantities are mostly given by intuition—'a piece,' 'a knob,' 'some grains'—since cooks were expected to 'know by feel.' Spelling like 'Wildpret' (now 'Wildbret'), 'Neugewürz' (now 'Nelkenpfeffer' or 'Piment' for allspice), and 'Einbrenn' (for roux) reflect the German orthography and culinary terminology of the era. Recipes were often presented as a single flowing paragraph, with procedural and contingency instructions densely packed, inviting the reader to improvise based on experience.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Der Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Der Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen (1850)

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

Writer

Marianka, Mundköchin des Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen

Era

1850

Publisher

Dirnböck

Background

A delightful 19th-century cookbook that serves up refined banquets and hearty Austrian and Bohemian fare alike, all tested by the experienced hand of Marianka. It promises elegance for noble tables and affordable, tasty household cooking even in lean times—an inspiring blend of culinary sophistication and practical home kitchen wisdom.

Kindly made available by

Wien Bibliothek

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from mid-19th century Vienna, Austria, specifically from a cookbook authored by Marianka, the esteemed 'Mundköchin' (personal cook) of Hans-Jörgel von Gumpoldskirchen. The book was a practical guide for both grand banquet tables and everyday households during economically challenging times, reflecting both culinary refinement and ingenuity. Published in 1850, the recipe captures a moment when game was popular in both aristocratic and bourgeois kitchens of the Austro-Bohemian lands. It offers insight into the regional preference for richly spiced, gently braised meats, as well as the creative use of soured cream, capers, and caramelized sugars typical of central European cuisine at the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, a heavy iron or copper casserole (Kasserole) would have been used, often placed over an open hearth or on a wood-fired stove. A mortar and pestle would be employed to crush the juniper berries, and a knife for slicing onions fine. Spoons of wood or tin, strainers or cloth for sieving sauces, and simple roasting pans or fireproof serving dishes (for the pastry wreath) would also be in use. Making a brown roux involved a heavy-bottomed pan for browning flour and butter, and caramelizing sugar required careful handling over direct heat. Presentation for special occasions might demand extra molds or cutters for pastry garnishes.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

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

2 1/4 pounds piece of venison or other game meat
1 tablespoon (about 1/6 ounce) crushed juniper berries
1 large onion, sliced
3 1/2 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces) unsalted butter
10 whole black peppercorns
8 whole allspice berries (Neugewürz)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup beef stock
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup soured cream (for light sauce version)
2 tablespoons (about 3/4 ounce) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter (for brown roux)
2 tablespoons (about 7/8 ounce) granulated sugar (for darker sauce version)
1 tablespoon white sugar (for darker sauce version)
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) capers (for darker sauce version)
Optional: puff pastry wreath or lemon slices, for garnish

Instructions

Begin by selecting a piece of venison or other game meat, ensuring it is clean and ready to cook.
Rub the meat all over with crushed juniper berries and allow it to marinate until tender—this could mean several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Pat the meat dry and set it in a deep, heavy casserole or Dutch oven with a generous knob (about 3 1/2 tablespoons or 1 3/4 ounces) of butter beneath it.
Top the meat with one large onion, thinly sliced.
Add 10 whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 8 whole allspice berries.
Gently sauté these aromatics, then add 1 cup beef stock and 1/3 cup white wine vinegar.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and allow to braise gently until the meat is tender—this may take 1-2 hours, depending on the cut and animal's age.
Once cooked, make a brown roux by browning 2 tablespoons (about 3/4 ounce) of flour in 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of butter.
Stir this into the liquid in the pot to thicken.
Next, stir in 1/3 cup soured cream, straining the sauce before serving.
For a dark, richer sauce style, omit the soured cream.
Instead, caramelize 2 tablespoons (about 7/8 ounce) of sugar in a pan until golden, add the sauce, a little extra white sugar to taste, and 2 tablespoons of capers.
Simmer the sauce briefly and serve.
Traditionally, this dish could be presented with a wreath of puff pastry or garnished with lemon slices.
If using older, tougher game meat, pre-boil it in a mixture of water, vinegar, and the mentioned spices before proceeding with the main recipe.

Estimated Calories

370 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes some time to marinate and get the meat ready before cooking. Actual cooking takes about 1.5 to 2 hours for the venison to become tender. The whole recipe makes 6 servings, each with around 370 calories. This comes from the meat, butter, and sauce.

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.