Recipe Manuscript

Junge Hähne (Rücken) Zu Braten

Name: Junge Hähne (Rücken) Zu Braten
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H15M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 young cockerels (or small chickens, about 1–1.2 kg each, backbone/ribs preferable); 100–150 g pork fat (unsalted back fat or pancetta), cut into thin lardons; 20–30 g fine sea salt (or less, to taste); 60–80 g unsalted butter; 2 chicken livers (from the birds, or substitute store-bought chicken liver); 120–150 g fatty bacon (sliced, or use streaky bacon/pancetta as substitute)

"Roasting Young Roosters (Backs)"

1897

From the treasured pages of Henriette Davidis praktisches kochbuch für die gewöhnliche und feinere küche

Written by Henriette Davidis

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

Original Recipe • 1897

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

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

Junge Hähne (Rücken) Zu Braten

"Eine vorzügliche Bereitungsweise der jungen Hähne besteht darin, daß man sie, wie es in Bremen und Hamburg üblich ist, wie Hasen dicht spickt. Sie werden dadurch saftiger und machen eine ansehnlichere Schüssel. Man brate sie in einem Bunzlauer Geschirr mit fest schließendem Deckel, dessen Weite dem Inhalt angemessen sein muß; ein zu weiter Topf taugt nicht. Ist man auf einen Glutdeckel eingerichtet, um so besser; andernfalls wird der Topf, nachdem die Hähne zart geworden sind, in einen heißen Bratofen gestellt, damit sie von oben rasch gelb werden. Nachdem die Hähne nach den Regeln in Nr. 210 b. zugerichtet, streue man etwas feingemachtes Salz darüber, nicht zu viel, weil die Butter einiges Salz enthält, schiebe ein Stückchen Butter in den Leib, auch die Leber, lege die Hähne mit guter Butter dicht nebeneinander in den Topf und brate sie anfangs offen auf langsamem Feuer, bis sie gelb geworden sind, dann zugedeckt, bis sie weich sind, was etwa ³/₄ bis 1 Stunde erfordert. Nach den Anforderungen an die feinere Küche darf das Geflügel nicht zu stark gebraten, nicht braun sein, sondern muß eine schöne hochgelbe Färbung erhalten und deshalb anfangs mit Speckscheiben bedeckt werden."

English Translation

"An excellent way to prepare young roosters is, as is customary in Bremen and Hamburg, to lard them densely, like hares. This makes them juicier and produces a more attractive dish. Roast them in a Bunzlau dish with a tightly fitting lid, which must be appropriately sized for the contents; a pot that is too large will not do. If you have a lid that can hold embers, even better; otherwise, once the roosters are tender, place the pot in a hot oven so that they quickly turn yellow from above. After preparing the roosters according to the rules in No. 210 b., sprinkle a little finely ground salt over them, not too much as the butter contains some salt, slip a small piece of butter into the cavity, as well as the liver, lay the roosters closely together in the pot with good butter, and roast them at first uncovered over a gentle heat until they have turned yellow, then cover until they are tender, which takes about 3/4 to 1 hour. According to the requirements of finer cuisine, the poultry must not be roasted too much or browned but should acquire a beautiful deep yellow coloration and should therefore be covered with slices of bacon at first."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this era are written in a narrative, sometimes conversational style, with expected knowledge of kitchen fundamentals and references to earlier recipes (e.g., 'nach den Regeln in Nr. 210 b. zugerichtet'). Measurement is often by visual judgment rather than precise weight or volume, relying on cook's experience (e.g., 'etwas feingemachtes Salz', 'ein Stückchen Butter'). Spelling is 19th-century German but largely intelligible: 'Hähne' for cockerels, 'zu braten' ('to roast'), 'Bunzlauer Geschirr' (specific pottery cookware). The terminology blends everyday and refined culinary vocabularies, reflecting the transition from purely pragmatic household cooking to a more codified, quasi-professional approach.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Henriette Davidis praktisches kochbuch für die gewöhnliche und feinere küche - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Henriette Davidis praktisches kochbuch für die gewöhnliche und feinere küche (1897)

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

Writer

Henriette Davidis

Era

1897

Publisher

C.N. Caspar

Background

A beloved staple in German kitchens, this practical cookbook by Henriette Davidis serves up a rich array of recipes ranging from everyday fare to refined culinary delights. Immerse yourself in traditional techniques and timeless flavors, all artfully presented for both the ordinary and ambitious cook.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from 'Henriette Davidis praktisches Kochbuch' (1897), a definitive German cookbook of the late 19th century. Davidis, one of the most influential domestic science authors of her era, sought to bridge the needs of 'ordinary' and 'finer' cuisine. This dish hails from the port cities of Bremen and Hamburg, where poultry was often treated with the larding methods typically reserved for game, showcasing both the ingenuity and the desire for moist, visually appealing roasted meats. The approach underscores the shift in middle-class German households to ever more refined, almost French-like culinary aspirations in the late 1800s. Such dishes reflect both regional pride and a pan-European exchange of technique, vividly presenting how city kitchens adapted and improved rural and noble traditions for the urban, bourgeois table.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The key equipment from the original recipe is the Bunzlauer pottery, a thick-walled glazed clay casserole (similar to a modern Dutch oven), prized for its ability to hold moisture and impart gentle, even heat. A heavy, tight-fitting lid (sometimes, for special effect, a 'Glutdeckel'—a fire-heated iron cover placed atop for browning) was essential for both tenderness and the pale golden finish of the birds. Open fires or wood/coal stoves provided the gentle heat called for, and the oven played a last-minute role in coloring the skin. Larding needles ('Spicknadel') or small, sharp kitchen knives would be used to thread the pork fat into the meat. Bowls for seasoning and laying out the poultry, as well as broad carving forks and sturdy serving dishes, filled out the kitchen arsenal.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

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 young cockerels (or small chickens, about 2.2–2.6 lbs each, backbone/ribs preferable)
3.5–5.3 oz pork fat (unsalted back fat or pancetta), cut into thin lardons
0.7–1.1 oz fine sea salt (or less, to taste)
2.1–2.8 oz unsalted butter
2 chicken livers (from the birds, or substitute store-bought chicken liver)
4.2–5.3 oz fatty bacon (sliced, or use streaky bacon/pancetta as substitute)

Instructions

This classic recipe for roasting the backs of young cockerels ('Junge Hähne (Rücken) zu braten') is a German method from late 19th century Bremen and Hamburg.
The technique involves larding the birds generously with small strips of pork fat (akin to larding hares), which helps keep them juicy and imparts a beautiful look to the dish.
Begin by prepping the birds: sprinkle them lightly with fine salt (not too much, since the butter is salty), then tuck a small piece of butter and the cockerel's liver into the cavity.
Arrange the birds snugly in a heavy clay pot (modern equivalent: an enameled Dutch oven or similar), dot with more butter, and cover their tops with slices of fatty bacon or cured pork belly (for those golden tones without browning the skin).
Roast the cockerels for about 10–15 minutes with the lid off at a gentle heat so that the skin takes on a pale golden color, then cover the pot tightly and continue roasting on low heat for 45–60 minutes until tender.
For an especially crisp finish on top, briefly transfer the pot (lid off) to a hot oven or under a broiler, just as the old method asked for a 'Glutdeckel' (a fire-heated iron lid) or hot oven to color the tops.
Serve hot, presented in the dish, as was the custom.

Estimated Calories

700 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the chickens, lardons, and stuffing. The actual cooking, including roasting and crisping the tops, takes around 1 hour 15 minutes. One serving is about half a cockerel, and each serving has roughly 700 calories.

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.