Pork shoulder slow-roasted with a scored, salted skin that crisps into crackling, served with a rich pan gravy, a classic German Sunday roast.
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.
Serves 6
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.
Rub coarse salt and caraway seeds generously into the scored skin.
Spread onion, carrot and celery in a roasting pan, and place the pork on top.
Roast at 160C/325F for 2 hours, adding beer or stock and bay leaves to the pan partway through.
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.
Let the roast rest 15 minutes before carving.
Strain the pan juices, skim excess fat, whisk in flour to thicken slightly, and simmer until smooth.
Carve the pork, breaking the crackling into pieces, and serve with the gravy.
Dry the pork skin thoroughly, ideally overnight uncovered in the fridge, since any surface moisture prevents proper crackling.
Score the skin without cutting into the meat below, which allows the fat to render and the salt to penetrate without drying out the meat itself.
Raise the oven temperature significantly for the final stretch of roasting specifically to blister and crisp the skin into crackling.
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.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently, though the crackling will soften considerably upon storage and reheating.
Schweinebraten is a traditional German Sunday roast, particularly associated with Bavarian cuisine, where the technique of scoring and salting pork skin for crackling reflects generations of careful, patient German roasting tradition.
The skin likely wasn't dried thoroughly enough beforehand, or the final high-heat blast wasn't hot enough — ensure the skin is bone dry before roasting.
Pork belly or a bone-in leg roast both work with the same technique, though cooking times may vary slightly.
It likely needed more time at the lower temperature — pork shoulder requires patience to become properly tender, so extend the initial roasting time if needed.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 6 servings total
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