East German main dishes
Kochklopse: East German Meatballs in Caper Sauce
Kochklopse is the East German name for Königsberger Klopse: meatballs of mixed ground meat, poached in salted water and served in a light caper sauce. A classic of everyday home cooking in the GDR, they came to the table with boiled potatoes. The sauce is made from the poaching liquid and thickened with egg yolk at the end.
Halberstädter Würstchen with Potato Salad for Christmas Eve
Halberstädter Würstchen with potato salad is what many East German families eat on Christmas Eve: hot frankfurter-style sausages and a potato salad with mayonnaise, pickled gherkins and egg. Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt is considered the birthplace of the canned sausage. The salad is made in the afternoon so it can soak up the dressing.
East German Jägerschnitzel with Macaroni and Tomato Sauce
In East Germany, Jägerschnitzel is a thick slice of Jagdwurst, a mild bologna-style sausage, fried in breadcrumbs. It came with macaroni and a slightly sweet red tomato sauce, just as it was served on the tray at school lunch, the hot midday meal served in GDR schools.
Neunerlei: Nine-Dish Christmas Eve Dinner from the Ore Mountains
Neunerlei is the Christmas Eve dinner of the Erzgebirge, the Ore Mountains: nine dishes served all at once. Each one is meant to bring something for the new year: the lentils small change, the dumplings big money, the bratwurst strength and the sauerkraut a life that does not turn sour. What exactly belongs to it varies from place to place; this is the most common combination.
Quarkkäulchen: Saxon Quark and Potato Pancakes with Cinnamon Sugar
Saxon Quarkkäulchen are golden-brown little pancakes made from potatoes boiled in their skins the day before and Quark, a fresh curd cheese, served with cinnamon sugar and applesauce. All over East Germany they were known as a sweet lunch and as a way to use up leftover potatoes.
Steak au four: Pork Steak with Würzfleisch and Melted Cheese
Steak au four is a pork steak topped with Würzfleisch, diced meat in a creamy white sauce, and baked with cheese; the French name simply means “steak from the oven.” In the HO-Gaststätten, the state-run restaurants of the GDR, it was a dish for special days. It came with French fries, and a bottle of Worcestershire sauce stood on the table.
Sülze (Pork in Aspic) with Fried Potatoes and Remoulade
Sülze with fried potatoes and remoulade was a standard in East German restaurants and workplace canteens: cold, tangy Sülze, pork set in aspic, next to hot fried potatoes. The Sülze comes ready-made from the butcher; you make the fried potatoes with bacon and a remoulade with plenty of pickle yourself.
Tote Oma: Fried Blood Sausage with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potatoes
Tote Oma, which literally means “dead grandma,” is fried Grützwurst, a blood sausage made with groats, and the name exists only in East Germany. The sausage of blood, pork rind and groats breaks down in the pan with onions and marjoram into a dark, crumbly mass. It is served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.
Grünkohl Mecklenburg Style: East German Kale with Kassler and Sausage
Grünkohl (kale) has a long tradition in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In hard winters, Grünkohl Mecklenburg style, also called Gräunkohl in Low German, was and is a hearty treat for body and soul. Once a staple food of poor people, today a delicacy. With Kassler (cured, smoked pork), pork cheek and Kohlwurst sausages, or even Pinkel, a smoked grain sausage.
Würzfleisch Mecklenburg Style with Pork Belly and Root Vegetables
Würzfleisch, also called ragout, was a hit on more than just the deluxe Grilletta, the East German hamburger. The braised diced meat is also a treat with chunks of vegetables and potatoes, and a good deal cheaper than goulash.