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Ius in Cervum (Sauce for Venison)

Ius in Cervum (Sauce for Venison) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic sauce of mixed spices in a stock, wine, passum and oil base that's thickened with starch and served as a coating for roasted venison. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Sauce for Venison (Ius in Cervum).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

205 minutes

Total Time:

225 minutes

Serves:

6

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesGame RecipesVenison RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Ius in Cervum (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) VIII, ii, 1

Ius in cervum: teres piper, ligusticum, careum, origanum, apii semen, laseris radicem, feniculi semen, fricabis, suffundes liquamen, vinum, passum, oleum modice. cum ferbuerit, amulo obligas. cervum coctum intro foras tanges et inferes.

In platonem similiter et in omne genus venationis eadem conditura uteris.

Translation

Sauce for Venison: Mix pepper, lovage, caraway, oregano, celery seeds, laser root, fennel seeds and pound [in a mortar]. Pour over liquamen, wine, passum and a little oil. Bring to a boil. When it has boiled, thicken with starch. Coat the inside and outside of cooked stag [with this sauce] and serve.

This recipe may be used for all antlered deer and woodland game.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

2kg roast venison

For the Sauce:
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp lovage seeds (or celery seeds)
generous pinch of caraway seeds
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp celery seeds
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
200ml game stock or beef stock
60ml red wine
60ml passum
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cornflour (wheat starch would originally have been used)

Method:

Prepare the meat for roasting and set in the oven to roast.

About 45 minutes before the meat is due to be ready prepare the sauce. Combine the black pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds, caraway seeds, oregano, celery seeds, asafoetida, cumin and fennel seeds in a mortar. Grind finely then blend in the liquamen, red wine, passum and olive oil.

Scrape the mixture into a pan and whisk in the game stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to blend the flavours. Whisk the cornflour with a little water to form a smooth slurry. Whisk this into the sauce, bring to a simmer and cook until thicken.

Either brush this sauce over the roasted venison immediately before serving or use it to baste the meat for the final 30 minutes of the roasting time.

Find more recipes from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria along with information on Apicius and his cookbook, all part of this site's Ancient Roman recipes collection.