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Porcellum Oenococtum (Suckling Pig with Wine Sauce)

Porcellum Oenococtum (Suckling Pig with Wine Sauce) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of roast pork cooked in an olive oil and stock base that's finished in a wine sauce flavoured with pepper, rue, laurel berries and stock. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Suckling Pig with Wine Sauce (Porcellum Oenococtum).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

200 minutes

Total Time:

220 minutes

Serves:

8-10

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesPork RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Porcellum Oenococtum (from Vinidarius' Apici Excerpta) xxi

Porcellum Oenococtum: Porcellum accipies, ornabis, coque in oleo et liquamine. cum coquitur, adicies in mortario piper, rutam, bacam lauri, liquamen, passum sive caroenum, vinum vetus, simul omnia teres, temperas et traicies in patinam aeneam. mittis eum.

Translation

Suckling Pig with Wine Sauce: Prepare the suckling pig and cook in olive oil and stock. While it is cooking, add pepper, rue, bay berry, liquamen, passum or caroenum, and aged wine to a mortar. Pound together and blend. Set [the suckling pig] in a bronze dish, [pour over the wine sauce and simmer].

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1 suckling pig, or 1 joint of pork
500ml pork stock
60ml olive oil

For the Sauce:
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried rue (or rosemary), finely chopped
1 laurel (bay) berry or 2 juniper berries
2 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
150ml pork stock
60ml passum
100ml white wine

Method:

Place the meat in a braising tin and pour around the stock and olive oil. Cover with a lid, transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and braise for between 2 and 3 hours (depending on the side of the meat), until cooked through and tender.

Just before the meat is due to be ready, pound together the black pepper, rue (or rosemary) and laurel berry (or juniper berries) in a mortar. Work in the liquamen and passum then turn into a pan and mix in the pork stock and wine. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through.

When the pork is tender, transfer to a roasting tin and pour over the sauce. Return to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes more, basting frequently with the sauce, until the pork is nicely coloured. If desired, the meat can be accompanied by the pan juices.

Find more recipes from Vinidarius' Apici Excerpta on this site's page dedicated to the Vinidarius Excerpts from Apicius with Translations.