Recipe Manuscript

How To Make Black Salve

Name: How To Make Black Salve
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 568 ml best quality salad (olive) oil; 227 g finely ground red ochre (substitute for original red lead, which is toxic); 56 g finely shaved beeswax

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Other

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

How To Make Black Salve

"take a pint of the best sallet oyle and halfe a pound of the best red lead finely beatin and halfe a quarter of a pound of beas wax shaue it very small and put these altogether and let them boile very softly till it is very black then drop a drop upon a dish to see if it be very stife then tis don enough and you may rub your hand with a litle sallet oyle and voule it for your use. This salve Cures all sortes of old and new boyles bustions and burns and the kings evill"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the concise, instructive style of early modern household manuals, with little distinction between culinary and medicinal preparations. Measurements such as ‘pint’ and ‘pound’ followed contemporary English standards, though ingredient clarity (such as 'sallet oyle' for salad oil) depended on local custom. Spellings reflect the phonetic and variable orthography of the period, while instructions presume a practical familiarity with kitchen tasks on the part of the reader.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1700)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into the kitchens of the early 18th century, this historic culinary manuscript promises a feast of recipes, remedies, and perhaps a pinch of mystery. Expect both practical fare and elegant inspiration for the curious cook.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe dates to circa 1700, a time when household remedies were commonly prepared in the home and passed down through manuscripts. Black salve like this was believed to cure a range of skin ailments from boils and burns to the 'king’s evil' (scrofula, or tuberculosis of the lymph nodes). The recipe was preserved in a household collection of medical and culinary knowledge, reflecting both the resourcefulness and the limited medical understanding of the era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, this salve was made using simple but sturdy kitchen tools: a small cauldron or saucepan for gentle boiling, a wooden spoon for stirring, a knife to shave the beeswax, and a cool ceramic plate or dish to test the salve’s firmness. The shaping of the cooled salve with oiled hands gave it a practical and personal finishing touch.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Servings

Ingredients

1 pint + 4 fl oz best quality salad (olive) oil
8 oz (1 cup) finely ground red ochre (substitute for original red lead, which is toxic)
2 oz (about 1/4 cup) finely shaved beeswax

Instructions

To prepare a version of black salve with modern measurements, begin by combining 1 pint + 4 fluid ounces of high-quality salad oil (olive oil is traditional) with 8 ounces (1 cup) of finely powdered red lead (note: red lead is highly toxic and not used today; for demonstration, use red ochre or iron oxide as a safe substitute).
Next, add 2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) of beeswax, grated finely.
Place all ingredients into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and gently heat on low, stirring often, until the mixture turns very black.
To test for readiness, drop a small amount onto a cool dish—if it stiffens quickly, the salve is done.
Allow to cool slightly, then, with oiled hands, roll or shape the salve for use.

Estimated Calories

260 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will need about 10 minutes to measure and prepare the ingredients, and about 20 minutes to cook and combine everything. This recipe makes about 8 portions for topical use. Each serving contains about 260 calories, mainly from the olive oil and beeswax.