Kitchen Adventures – ixl. Oystres en grauey (Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430))

Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - ixl. Oystres en grauey

It is rumored that King Henry IV enjoyed oysters so much that he consumed 400 in a single sitting! Bear in mind that he was probably eating the much smaller, and more delicate European (commonly known as belon) oyster (ostrea edulis). The Romans prized oysters. They were (and still are) considered an aphrodisiac, but they also believed that consuming oysters would improve your prowess on the battlefield. So it should come as no surprise that guards were posted to protect oysters beds and that the cost of an oyster could be valued at a denarius--the value of a days labor.

Oysters in Gravy was the first of several recipe's I prepared featuring oysters from Two fifteenth-century cookery-books : Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55 Thomas Austin . This is most likely one of the earliest versions of a well known classic--oyster stew, and it received the best reviews. I also prepared .xl. Oystrys in grauy bastard (oysters cooked in ale, thickened with bread and seasoned with ginger, sugar, saffron, pepper and salt) and .lxxxxij. Oystrys in bruette (oysters stewed with oyster liquor, ale, bread, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, saffron and salt).

.ixl.*. [i.e. i from xl. ] Oystres en grauey.—Take gode Mylke of Almaundys, an drawe it wyth Wyne an gode Fysshe broþe, an sette it on þe fyre, & let boyle; & caste þer-to Clowes, Maces, Sugre an powder Gyngere, an a fewe parboylid Oynonys y-mynsyd; þan take fayre Oystrys, & parboyle hem in fayre Water, & caste hem þer-to, an lete hem boyle to-gederys; & þanne serue hem forth.

ixl - Oystres en grauey. Take gode Mylke of Almaundys, an drawe it wyth Wyne an gode Fysshe brothe, an sette it on the fyre, and let boyle; and caste ther-to Clowes, Maces, Sugre an powder Gyngere, an a fewe parboylid Oynonys y-mynsyd; than take fayre Oystrys, and parboyle hem in fayre Water, and caste hem ther-to, an lete hem boyle to-gederys; and thanne serue hem forth.

39. Oysters in gravey - Take good milk of almonds, and draw it with wine and good fish broth, and set it on the fire, and let boil; and cast there-to cloves, mace, sugar and powder ginger, and a few parboiled onions minced; then take fair oysters, and parboil them in fair water, and caste them there-to, and let them boil together; and then serve them forth.

Interpreted Recipe:

1 c. almond milk (made by adding 1/4 c. almond flour to 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup oyster/clam broth)
1 clove
1/8 tsp. mace
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 c. parboiled onions
1 can oysters
salt and pepper to taste

Purists may cringe that I used canned oysters, unfortunately getting good seafood where I live is tricky. It has usually been frozen and then thawed and put out on display, or, it has arrived fresh off the boat still living but costs an arm and a leg. Part of the goal in creating these posts is to make sure that they are cost friendly if you are cooking in very large quantities. Buying fresh *might* be preferred, but purchasing canned ones (for me) is cost effective and eliminated the need to "þan take fayre Oystrys, & parboyle hem in fayre Water, & caste hem þer-to".

Should you be lucky enough to be able to use fresh oysters you will first want to clean them. Oysters are a filter for the ocean (they can filter 30-50 gallons of water a day), and their shells collect a lot of debris. You will want to make sure they are fresh, and that they are still living. To test for life, try to open up the shell, if the shell is cracked, damaged or open, or if it does not snap back when trying to open it, discard it. It could make you sick.

To clean, you will need to place oysters in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Scrub the shells with a brush (toothbrushes work), making sure that you clean out all the dirt and the debris that has collected not only in the shell but in the creases. Once clean it is necessary to shuck the oyster to remove it from it's shell. There is a ton of information available on how to do this on the internet. Be sure not to spill the oyster liquor (the liquid inside of the oyster). Also, make sure to use them within two hours of opening to avoid them spoiling.

Parboil your onions if you have not done so, otherwise, add all ingredients accept for the oysters to the almond milk and bring to a boil. If you are using fresh oysters, you will want to parboil them while the broth is cooking. Once the almond milk has come to the boil, add your remaining oysters and cook until oysters have been thoroughly heated through, and then serve.

God bless the taste testers! Of the four recipes that were interpreted this was by far the favorite and the one that they stated they would eat again if served at a feast. It was likened to a "high end oyster stew". Oysters are -not- for everyone I would use caution if serving this at an event. Also, due to the likelihood of quick spoilage, you may want to consider serving them at a smaller event or luncheon. I would even caution against bringing them to a camping event, unless you are absolutely certain that they will be eaten immediately and that any leftovers will not be stored.

Similar Recipes

Forme of Cury (England, 1390)

OYSTERS IN GRAVEY. XX.VI. I. Schyl Oysters and seeþ hem in wyne and in hare own broth. cole the broth thurgh a cloth. take almandes blaunched, grynde hem and drawe hem up with the self broth. & alye it wiþ flour of Rys. and do the oysters þerinne, cast in powdour of gyngur, sugur, macys. seeþ it not to stondyng and serue forth.

Enseignements qui enseingnent a apareillier toutes manieres de viande (France, ca. 1300 - D. Myers, trans.)

Oysters in gravy, first cooked in water and onions, with pepper and saffron and with an aillie of almonds. Oysters again with salt and bread well leavened.

To Stew Shrimps being taken out of their shells (The Accomplisht Cook, c. 1660)

To Stew Shrimps being taken out of their shells

To Stew Shrimps being taken out of their shells (The Accomplisht Cook, c. 1660) (To stew Cockles being taken out of the shells.)

Wash them well with vinegar, broil or broth them before you take them out of the shells, then put them in a dish with a little claret, vinegar, a handful of capers, mace, pepper, a little grated bread, minced tyme, salt, and the yolks of two or three hard eggs minced, stew all together till you think them enough; then put in a good piece of butter, shake them well together, heat the dish, rub it with a clove of garlick, and put two or three toasts of white bread in the bottom, laying the meat on them. Craw-fish, prawns, or shrimps, are excellent good the same way being taken out of their shells, and make variety of garnish with the shells.

2 pounds of shrimp
¼ cup white wine
1 tbsp. wine vinegar
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 tbsp. bread crumbs
2-3 egg yolks
¼ cup butter
1 tbsp. capers
¼ tsp. mace
1-2 cloves garlic minced

Place all ingredients into a pot and stew until shrimps are cooked.

This is a very simple recipe that is absolutely delicious and very pretty to look at. Pictured here the shrimp is sitting on a toasted round. It reminds me a little bit of shrimp scampi. I used raw peel and eat shrimp to make this dish. You might if you are planning on cooking for a crowd use shrimp that has already been removed from it's shell. It was very well received at Curia as well as with the taste testers. I would definately serve this again.

Gammon of Bacon (1591) – Tudor Ham Pie with Herbs & Egg Yolk

Gammon of Bacon – A Book of Cookrye, 1591

Baked gammon of bacon in pastry crust — Baked Gammon of Bacon in pastry crust — savory, spiced, and rich with herbs and egg yolk.

Gammon of Bacon comes from A Book of Cookrye (1591), a popular Elizabethan cookery book. It calls for a “gammon of bacon” — essentially a salt-cured leg or large cut of pork — stuffed with parsley, sage, and hard-cooked egg yolks, seasoned with cloves and mace, then wrapped in pastry. This dish blurs the lines between what we’d call ham, bacon, and meat pies today.

The Original Recipe (1591)

To bake a gammon of Bacon. Take your Bacon and boyle it, and stuffe it with Parcely and Sage, and yolks of hard Egges, and when it is boyled, stuffe it and let it boyle againe, season it with Pepper, cloves and mace, whole cloves stick fast in, so then lay it in your paste with salt butter.

Modern Recipe

This adaptation is based on Dan Meyers’ version with a few tweaks to better match the period instructions. Using a ham or gammon joint (rather than belly bacon) and re-simmering after stuffing brings it closer to the original Tudor technique.

Ingredients

2 lbs. cured ham or gammon joint (not belly bacon)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
6 hard-boiled egg yolks, mashed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground mace
6–8 whole cloves (for studding)
1 pie crust
2 tbsp. salted butter

Instructions

Place ham/gammon in a large pot, cover with water, and boil gently for 30 minutes.
Mix parsley, sage, mashed egg yolks, pepper, and mace in a bowl.
Remove meat from the pot, cut open or slice, and stuff with the herb–egg mixture.
Optional (for authenticity): Return the stuffed meat to simmering water for 15 minutes before baking.
Stud the surface with whole cloves.
Wrap in pie crust, dot butter around the filling, and seal well.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour, until the crust is golden and the meat heated through.

Cook’s Note: For individual portions, thin slices of ham can be stuffed and rolled into “olives,” then wrapped in pastry. This makes charming hand-sized pies.

Why two boilings? The 1591 recipe has you boil the gammon once to draw out excess salt, then again after stuffing to help set the filling and balance the flavors. In Tudor kitchens this also “cleansed” the meat under humoral theory, making it more wholesome. Modern hams are milder, so the second boil is optional.

Gammon vs. Bacon vs. Ham

One reason this recipe confuses modern cooks is that “gammon of bacon” in the 16th century does not map neatly onto modern terms:

Gammon (period): A hind leg of pork cured by salting, sometimes smoked.
Bacon (modern US): Thin slices from pork belly, usually smoked.
Canadian Bacon: Back bacon, leaner, closer to period cuts but not salt-cured the same way.
Ham: Cured hind leg of pork, closer to “gammon” but often sweeter/brined differently.

Best substitute for period gammon: a smoked ham or unsliced back bacon joint. Pork belly strips are too fatty for this recipe, while Canadian bacon is too lean and small.

Re-Creating Period Gammon at Home

If you want to try something closer to the Elizabethan flavor profile, here’s a simple historical-style curing method:

Dry cure: Rub a pork hind leg or large roast with salt, brown sugar, and a little black pepper. Cover loosely and refrigerate 5–7 days, turning daily.
Optional smoke: Cold-smoke over oak, applewood, or hickory for several hours.
Cook: Once cured, boil as the recipe instructs, then proceed with stuffing and baking.

This is not a full preservation cure (as Elizabethans might have done for winter storage), but it gives a flavor much closer to “gammon” than store-bought ham.

Historical Notes

A Book of Cookrye (1591) was a popular English cookbook printed for household use — much shorter than elite works like The Good Huswifes Jewell or The English Huswife.
Meat baked in pastry (coffins) was a hallmark of Tudor cooking, both as preservation and presentation.
Egg yolks were considered warming and nourishing under humoral theory — appropriate for a “strengthening” dish.

Dietary Notes 🥕

Contains: Pork, eggs, gluten, dairy.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Not suitable. A meatless option could use mushrooms or seitan with the parsley-sage-egg mixture (or vegan yolk substitute).
Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free pie crust.

Why Try This Dish?

This “gammon of bacon” makes a rich centerpiece for a Tudor-themed meal or SCA feast. The herb-egg stuffing is fragrant and holiday-like, while the crust keeps everything moist and sliceable. It’s a savory hand pie that bridges the world of bacon, ham, and pastry.

Dayboard Notes

Is this suitable for a dayboard? Yes! This savory pie is hearty, portable, and slices neatly, making it an excellent choice for an event lunch spread.

Stability: The ham/gammon is already cured and cooked, and the pastry crust helps protect the filling.
Risk: The egg yolk stuffing can spoil if left too long at warm temperatures.
Safe window: Best served within 2–4 hours at cool room temperature (<70°F/21°C). Treat it like quiche or sausage rolls.
Tip: Keep pies chilled before transport and bring out only what you plan to serve within the hour.

Sources

A Book of Cookrye, 1591.
Dan Meyers, MedievalCookery.com
Terrence Scully, The Art of Cookery in the Middle Ages.

🍽️ More from the Curia Lunch

Labels: Medieval Recipes, Tudor, Early Modern, Appetizer, Meat Pies, Pork, Eggs, Period Techniques, Curia

Compost (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390)

A beautiful dish of Compost--a variety of pickled vegetables

Compost is a delicious medley of sweet, sour and mustardy pickled vegetables. This recipe comes courtesy of Daniel Myers from his excellent website Medieval Cookery. If you have not visited this website I strongly encourage you to do so!

Compost (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390) Take rote of parsel. pasternak of rasenns. scrape hem waisthe hem clene. take rapes & caboches ypared and icorne. take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire. cast all þise þerinne. whan þey buth boiled cast þerto peeres & parboile hem wel. take þise thynges up & lat it kele on a fair cloth, do þerto salt whan it is colde in a vessel take vineger & powdour & safroun & do þerto. & lat alle þise thinges lye þerin al nyzt oþer al day, take wyne greke and hony clarified togider lumbarde mustard & raisouns corance al hool. & grynde powdour of canel powdour douce. & aneys hole. & fenell seed. take alle þise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe. and take þerof whan þou wilt & serue forth.

-Recipe Courtesy of Daniel Myers

3 parsley roots
3 parsnips
3 carrots
10 radishes
2 turnips
1 small cabbage
1 pear
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pinch saffron, ground
1 cup greek wine (sweet Marsala) <--I used white wine
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp. mustard <--I used a sweet and spicy mustard purchased at the local farmers market
1/2 cup currants (zante raisins)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Powder Douce
1 tsp. anise seed
1 tsp. fennel seed

Peel vegetables and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Parboil them until just tender, adding pears about halfway through cooking time. Remove from water, place on towel, sprinkle with salt, and allow to cool. Then put vegetables in large bowl and add pepper, saffron, and vinegar. Refrigerate for several hours. Then put wine and honey into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and then simmer for several minutes, removing any scum that forms on the surface. Let cool and add currants and remaining spices. Mix well and pour over vegetables. Serve cold.