Schweinebraten (German Roast Pork with Crackling)

About This Recipe

Schweinebraten is a beloved German Sunday dinner, pork shoulder roasted low and slow until the meat becomes fall-apart tender while the scored, heavily salted skin transforms into deeply crisp, shattering crackling. The technique depends on getting the skin properly dry and well-scored before roasting, allowing salt to penetrate the cuts and the fat beneath to render slowly, resulting in crackling that audibly crunches when tapped. Served with a rich pan gravy made from the roasting juices, alongside potato dumplings or braised red cabbage, schweinebraten is a hearty, celebratory dish central to German family gatherings.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 kgpork shoulder(skin-on, scored)
• 2 tbspcoarse salt
• 1 tbspcaraway seeds
• 1onion(quartered)
• 2carrots(chopped)
• 2celery stalks(chopped)
• 2 cupsbeer or stock
• 2bay leaves
• 2 tbspflour(for gravy)
• 1 tspsalt(for seasoning meat)

Instructions

1. 1

   Score and dry the skin

   Score the pork skin in a crosshatch pattern, then pat it thoroughly dry and let it air-dry uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

2. 2

   Season

   Rub coarse salt and caraway seeds generously into the scored skin.

3. 3

   Arrange the vegetables

   Spread onion, carrot and celery in a roasting pan, and place the pork on top.

4. 4

   Roast low

   Roast at 160C/325F for 2 hours, adding beer or stock and bay leaves to the pan partway through.

5. 5

   Crisp the crackling

   Raise the oven temperature to 230C/450F for the final 20-25 minutes to crisp the skin into crackling.

   Make sure the skin is thoroughly dry before roasting and don't baste it with liquid — moisture on the skin prevents proper crackling.

6. 6

   Rest

   Let the roast rest 15 minutes before carving.

7. 7

   Make the gravy

   Strain the pan juices, skim excess fat, whisk in flour to thicken slightly, and simmer until smooth.

8. 8

   Serve

   Carve the pork, breaking the crackling into pieces, and serve with the gravy.

Variations

• •

  Some regions use pork belly instead of shoulder for an even fattier, richer roast.

• •

  Adding a bit of mustard rubbed onto the meat (not the skin) before roasting gives extra flavor.

• •

  Serving with braised red cabbage (Rotkohl) is a classic traditional pairing.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently, though the crackling will soften considerably upon storage and reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions