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Sang (Blood)

In the past, stews from roe deer, boar or deer used to be thickened with fresh pig’s blood (blood of other animals is also possible, for instance hare’s blood, if available). This thickening method is rather rare today. The thickening ratio for 1 litre (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) of liquid / sauce: 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz or 1/2 U.S. cups) of pig’s blood. Freshly slaughtered, stirred blood is the prerequisite. Stir blood into hot, but not boiling sauce, and strain through a cheesecloth. The blood may be mixed with cream in a 1:1 ratio before adding it. Blood reacts similarly to egg yolk when it comes to temperature: the optimum thickening power starts around 80 °Celsius and coagulation begins at 85 °Celsius. Products thickened or rounded off with blood are more delicate, and spoil more quickly, than other products. Unfortunately, fresh pig’s blood as a thickening agent has a bad reputation today.This is totally unjustified because well dosed and subtly used, it provides Sauce Venaison with a marked, velvety consistency and a subtle, but quite unmistakable, flavour and typical colour.