Chef John's Best German Recipes

Chef John's Beef Rouladen

"For something that looks and tastes as impressive as this beef rouladen, it's actually one of the simplest stuffed meat recipes I know," says Chef John. "You can pretty much use any cheap cut of beef; I used round steak, but rump, chuck, flap meat, and other similar cuts will work work."

Spätzle (aka Spaetzle)

These "micro-dumplings" are made from a simple flour-based batter. "They cook in a just a few minutes," says Chef John, "and are great plain with browned butter or topped with slowly braised meat."

German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelkloesse)

"These soft, comforting potato dumplings are drizzled in browned butter and topped with, sorry, not bacon, but something even better!" says Chef John. "For best results, roast, don't boil, the potatoes so they're nice and dry. Yes, you can top these dumplings with bacon anyway, and/or sautéed onions and mushroom sauce. I served mine with sausage and red cabbage."

Beef Short Ribs Sauerbraten

Chef John's sauerbraten features short ribs marinated in apple cider, a little red wine vinegar, and juniper berries. "The 24-hour marinade in this classic German dish, Sauerbraten, ensures succulent short ribs have that signature tanginess," says Chef John. "Gingersnaps give the sauce a beautiful texture and add a sweet spiciness."

Chef John's Braised Red Cabbage

The salty, sour, and sweet flavors of red cabbage braised in wine and simple seasonings go great with rouladen, sauerbraten, grilled sausages, and other meaty main dishes. "There are so many ways to tweak this recipe," says Chef John. "Raisins, currants, shallots, onions, leeks, apples, and pears are just a few things that rock in this recipe."

Grilled German Potato Salad

Tender grilled potatoes combine with a sweet, tangy bacon dressing featuring onions and vinegar. "The usually undercooked potatoes and lack of mayo characteristic of German potato salad have usually hindered my appreciation for this dish," says Chef John. "So in my version, the potatoes are grilled over some smoky coals until tender. Best enjoyed warm or room temp."

German Tater Tot® Potato Salad

No surprise, this recipe is not a traditional German recipe. "While this recipe may upset a few Germans, it's a risk I'm willing to take," says Chef John. "Tossed with a warm bacon dressing and made easy with crispy, crunchy, frozen potato nuggets, this take on a German potato salad makes an already easy recipe even easier. If you're a fan of Tater Tots®, you'll find this salad to be spectacular in taste, texture, and appearance. Plus, there's no peeling, slicing, or boiling necessary!"

Chef John's Summer Sausage

This is an easy, much faster, shortcut version of traditional summer sausage, which traditionally is made and cured in the winter so that it's ready to enjoy during the summer. "Despite only taking a few days, this comes really close to everybody's favorite gift-basket sausage and makes a great centerpiece to any charcuterie board," says Chef John.

Bavarian Pretzels

Chef John reveals the secret to making soft Bavarian-style pretzels with a beautifully browned, crusty exterior that's bejeweled with crystals of salt. A must for Oktoberfesting, these fresh homemade pretzels are an amazing treat any time of year.

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