Smoked Pork Loin with Apples and Onions (Kasseler)
A fine piece of smoked and brined pork, gently roasted with tart apples and melting onions, deglazed with cider. The aroma of smoking fills the whole house: this is the meal that gathers the table.
A fine piece of smoked and brined pork, gently roasted with tart apples and melting onions, deglazed with cider. The aroma of smoking fills the whole house: this is the meal that gathers the table.
Here, for the Lord's day, is the piece that is brought out only on days of rejoicing. We salted it, hung it in the chimney for the smoke to penetrate, then roasted it very slowly with apples from the orchard and onions. The whole house filled with that smell, and my brother and I knew it was time to close the books. Cut thick slices, douse with the juices, and fill the plates: such a roast wants a merry table.
- •Smoked and brined pork loin — a fine piece (festive meat)
- •Tart apples — several (sweet-sour garnish)
- •Onions — in abundance (melting garnish)
- •Cider or beer — a glass (degreasing)
- •Caraway and bay leaf — to taste (aromatics)
- •Lard — a knob (fat)
Smoked Pork Loin with Apples and Onions (Kasseler)
A fine piece of smoked and brined pork, gently roasted with tart apples and melting onions, deglazed with cider. The aroma of smoking fills the whole house: this is the meal that gathers the table.
Why this dish? The 'Kasseler', a brined and smoked pork loin, bears the name of the very city where the Grimms spent the decisive years of their collecting. Served on Sundays, it was the festive dish of a modest bourgeoisie that honored meat only on special occasions.
Here, for the Lord's day, is the piece that is brought out only on days of rejoicing. We salted it, hung it in the chimney for the smoke to penetrate, then roasted it very slowly with apples from the orchard and onions. The whole house filled with that smell, and my brother and I knew it was time to close the books. Cut thick slices, douse with the juices, and fill the plates: such a roast wants a merry table.
Ingredients (period version)
- Smoked and brined pork loin — a fine piece (festive meat)
- Tart apples — several (sweet-sour garnish)
- Onions — in abundance (melting garnish)
- Cider or beer — a glass (degreasing)
- Caraway and bay leaf — to taste (aromatics)
- Lard — a knob (fat)
Ingredients
- Smoked pork loin (Kasseler type) — 1.2 kg (festive meat)
- Tart apples (Boskoop, Reinette) — 3 (sweet-sour garnish)
- Onions — 3 large (melting garnish)
- Dry cider (or Apfelwein) — 250 ml (degreasing)
- Caraway seeds — 1 tsp (aromatic)
- Bay leaf — 2 leaves (aromatic)
- Lard or oil — 1 tbsp (fat)
Method
- Sear the pork loin on all sides in lard in an ovenproof casserole.
- Arrange the quartered onions and chunked apples around it, add caraway and bay leaf.
- Pour in the cider, cover, and roast at 160°C for 1 h 15, basting halfway through.
- Uncover for the last 15 minutes to brown the surface.
- Let the meat rest, slice, and spoon the apple-onion juices over.
How it was made : Smoking and brining were not refinements but necessities: they preserved meat for weeks before refrigeration. This pork was often cooked with orchard fruits, whose acidity balanced the salt.
The contemporary twist : Serve with horseradish mashed potatoes and a few crushed juniper berries in the pan juices.
Brothers Grimm · Charactorium
