How To Pott Hares
"Fleay them, and draw them, lay them in cold watter all night, take the flesh from the bones also clean as you can, take cloves, mace, and Nutmeg beaton small, season it with salt, putt it in a pan, or earthen can, with a good deall of salt Butter, and a poice of good salt beefe on the top of your meat if your pan is art the Road, close it up with paste, or cover it with brown paper. being bakon in the oven till it be ten=der, then lett it cooll, take all the skin and sinews from it Beat it in a Mortar with the salt, till it be small by the marrow, then putt it in the potts, and press it down by de=grees, and leabe room to fill it up with Butter, for setting by for you use. It will keep a monoth or two"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a concise, instruction-driven style typical of early 18th-century manuscripts—more a reminder for the cook than a step-by-step guide for novices. Ingredients and quantities are often imprecise, and spelling, such as 'watter' for water, 'beaton' for beaten, and 'cooil' for cool, reflects the non-standardized orthography of the time. The method calls for 'beating' the cooked hare in a mortar, indicating a fine shredding or pounding to achieve a spreadable texture. The preservation instructions show an understanding of air exclusion and fat as barriers to spoilage, central to early modern food storage.
Title
Mistress Anna Campbell her pastry book (1707)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Mistress Anna Campbell
Era
1707
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A sumptuous manuscript treasure from 1707, Mistress Anna Campbell's pastry book whisks you through nearly 400 recipes brimming with savory pies, dainty pastries, tempting cakes, luscious tarts, and rich custards. Savor her sauces for meats, indulge in both savory and sweet puddings, explore the wonders of dairy, nibble on biscuits, and delight in fruit confections—a true culinary tour de force of historical gastronomy.
Kindly made available by
Penn State University Libraries
This recipe originates from Mistress Anna Campbell’s pastry book, written in 1707—a time when preservation was paramount and flavor was bold. Recipes like this showcase the resourceful, seasonal use of game meats, and the culinary tradition of 'potting,' which helped keep meat fresh before the days of refrigeration. Potted hare would grace the sideboards of well-to-do Scottish and English households, ready to be spread on fresh bread as a savory treat or taken on journeys, where its keeping quality and robust seasoning made it a cherished provision.
In 1707, the cook would use a sharp knife for skinning and boning, heavy earthenware pots or deep ceramic pans for baking, a wood-fired oven for gentle, even heat, and a large mortar and pestle to pound the meat into a soft paste. Pressing down the meat in pots and covering with melted butter excluded air—a vital method for preservation before glass jars and metal lids. Brown paper or a pastry crust served for sealing the pot, and string was sometimes used to secure the covering tightly. No modern food processor in sight—just strong arms and patience.
Prep Time
14 hrs
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings
8
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 medium hares (3.3–4.4 lbs each; rabbit may be substituted)
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground mace
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 10.5 oz salted butter + 9 oz extra for sealing
- 10.5 oz corned (salt) beef (or lean salted beef, trimmed)
- Cold water (enough to submerge the meat overnight)
Instructions
- First, skin and eviscerate 2 medium hares (each around 3.3–4.4 lbs).
- Soak the cleaned carcasses in a large bowl of cold water overnight in the refrigerator—this helps to draw out any blood and soften the meat.
- Remove the flesh from the bones as carefully as possible, discarding sinews and skin.
- In a large mixing bowl, season the hare meat with 2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground mace, and 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg.
- Place the seasoned meat in an oven-safe ceramic pot or Dutch oven.
- Add around 10.5 oz salted butter, cut into chunks, and lay a 10.5 oz piece of good quality corned (salt) beef over the top of the hare.
- Seal the pot with a sheet of brown baking parchment or a layer of puff pastry if desired, to mimic the air-tight seal.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F for 2–2.5 hours or until the meat is completely tender.
- Once cooled, remove the skin and any sinew remaining from the cooked meat.
- Pound the meat with the drippings and marrow in a food processor or large mortar and pestle until smooth.
- Pack the potted hare tightly into sterilized jars or small crocks, pressing it down to eliminate air pockets.
- Melt extra salted butter (about 9 oz) and pour over the top to seal.
- Store in the refrigerator and use within 1–2 months.
Estimated Calories
720 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes some time to prepare and soak the hare, plus extra time to cook it slowly until the meat is tender. This recipe makes enough for about 8 servings, and each serving is quite rich, so the calories are high.
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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