Vepřo Knedlo Zelo

About This Recipe

Vepřo Knedlo Zelo — literally 'pork, dumpling, cabbage' — is the unofficial national dish of Czech cuisine. Slow-roasted pork shoulder with crispy skin sits alongside fluffy bread dumplings (knedlíky) and tangy braised sauerkraut. This Sunday feast has graced Czech family tables for generations and remains the heart of traditional Bohemian cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.2 kgpork shoulder(skin-on)
• 1 tspcaraway seeds
• 4 clovesgarlic(crushed)
• 1 tspsalt
• 500 gsauerkraut
• 1 mediumonion(sliced)
• 1 tspsugar
• 400 gday-old white bread(cubed for dumplings)
• 2eggs
• 100 mlmilk
• 100 gplain flour

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare pork

   Score the skin, rub all over with caraway, garlic and salt. Let rest 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Roast

   Roast pork at 200°C for 30 minutes, then 160°C for 1.5 hours. Add a little water to pan if it dries out. Blast at 220°C for final 15 minutes to crisp the skin.

3. 3

   Braise sauerkraut

   Cook onion in a little fat until soft. Add sauerkraut and sugar. Braise with a splash of pork drippings and 100 ml water for 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Make dumplings

   Mix bread cubes with eggs, milk and flour into a firm sticky dough. Shape into two logs, about 6 cm diameter. Simmer in salted water 20 minutes. Slice into rounds.

5. 5

   Serve

   Slice pork and serve with dumpling rounds and braised sauerkraut. Spoon pan juices over everything.

Variations

• •

  Use pork belly instead of shoulder for even more crackling.

• •

  Add a splash of Czech dark beer to the sauerkraut braise.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3 days. Dumplings are best reheated by steaming or microwaving with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions