Germany is a federal country with many centuries of history, so its cuisine just reveals this cultural journey. It is not famous like the French, Italian or Spanish, but the truth is that it has a series of dishes that if you go on a trip you should try them.
Remember that the area where Germany is located is rich in culture and its neighbors have contributed some elements to the shaping of modern German gastronomy. Then today, typical German dishes.
Much more than sausage and beer
The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about German cuisine are these two elements, but obviously German gastronomy is much more. In fact, the country's long culinary history has to do with its roots and its geography. German cuisine has developed over the centuries and hand in hand with social and political changes, so today each region of the country has its special dish and its distinctive flavor.
For example, the south of the country is known for its pork dishes, while the area around Hamburg is most popular for fish. The truth is that meat is present in many of their dishes, both at noon and even at breakfast.
A typical meal includes a portion of meat, creamy sauce, some vegetables and beer, but then let's see the most typical dishes, those that should not be missed.
sauerbraten
In this roast beef stew previously marinated with vinegar and various spices. It is a thick and caloric stew that traditionally served with red cabbage and some dumplings potato called kartoffelklöbe or also boiled potatoes, very simple.
The meat can be horse or venison that is marinated in white vinegar and spices for several days. Is about one of the national dishes of Germany and it is always on the restaurant menu.
schweinshaxe
Are the pig knuckles and they are usually the size of a human head. Is a roast meat, just enough until the skin comes off easily from the bone and is soft and juicy and that skin all crisp. It is a plate very popular in Bavaria.
Here the meat is also marinated for several days, especially when the cut is large. It is then roasted at a low temperature for hours, between two and three depending on the size, and is usually served with potatoes or cabbage. In Munich it is el dish.
beef Roulade
This dish is typical of the Saxony region and it is a meat roll with various flavors. Are very thin slices of meat rolled with ham, onions, pickles and mustardThey are then roasted with red wine, which leaves an exquisite flavor at the end of cooking.
Rouladen is traditionally served with dinner with potato sandwiches, mashed potatoes, or red cabbage. As a side dish, you can also see seasonal vegetables, winter, roasts. The sauce that remains is an essential part of the dish and is always poured over the meat.
schnitzel
Although this dish is Austrian, in Germany it has become very popular as well. Is a cutlet covered in breadcrumbs with cheese and ham in the middleWhat a sandwich, served with potatoes and green salad.
Hasenpfeffer
What dou you think about him rabbit stew? If you like stews, Germany is for you. The stews are very typical of countries where winters are long and harsh because they are very caloric dishes.
In this case the rabbit meat is cut into bite-size pieces and sand they cook with onions and wine for several hours until it thickens and forms the stew. The marinade is made with wine and vinegar and thickened with the rabbit's own blood.
The word Hase refers to the German hare, hare and pfeffer is pepper, although other spices and condiments appear beyond the pepper. In Bavaria this dish also adds spicy or sweet paprika,
German sausages
Although we said that German cuisine cannot be reduced to sausages, we cannot stop naming them. There is a long tradition in the manufacture of sausages and there are some 1.500 types of sausages. There are many regional specialties: the white Munich sausage or the pork sausage with ketchup that is popular in Berlin.
The sausages They are usually eaten on the street, they are street foods, but it is true that they are also served on the plate in many restaurants and are never too expensive. A typical sausage, for example, is the Bratwurst or grilled sausage.
It is the most popular street food in the country: it is generally made with pork and beef and is seasoned with ginger, nutmeg, coliander or caraway, cumin. It is served grilled with the crispy skin and bathed in mustard and ketchup. Sometimes it can be simply ordered in a loaf or with sauerkraut. Is a typical German summer dish.
Another very popular type of sausage is knockwurst or boiled sausage. It is made with ground beef or pork and looks like a huge hot dog. But there are differences because it is larger than a typical hot dog and its ingredients are much better. this sausage has a pink hue and a mild smoky flavor because after boiling it smokes a little. Served with bread and Dijon mustard.
Another sausage to try is the weisswurst. It is a traditional Bavarian sausage made with ground beef and ham, seasoned with parsley, lemon, onions, ginger, cardamom.
In general, it is served mid-morning, as a snack, since it is cooked in hot water, without boiling so that the skin does not break. After served with a pretzel with some sweet mustardhey a fresh beer.
We continue with the sausages: currywurst. this kind of german sausage It was invented in Berlin in 1949 and it's made with pork and ketchup sauce and curry powder. It seems that these ingredients were provided by the British soldiers who were in the city after the end of the war.
They are served grilled and nowadays they are super popular and there is even a museum about them. Both in Berlin and Hamburg they are served with French fries and placed in a loaf.
potato pancakes
As you have seen potatoes are very present in German gastronomyto. They entered the country at the end of the XNUMXth century and by the XNUMXth century they were super popular. The kartoffelpuffer is a fried potato pancake, the potato is mashed and mixed with parsley, onions and eggs.
It is circular in shape and is usually served for breakfast with eggs, or with apple sauce or sour cream.
Kartoffelkloesse
They are the typical potato sandwiches and There are two ways of preparation: either by mixing raw and cooked potatoes or directly with mashed cooked potatoes until pureed, then making small balls that are boiled in salted water.
It is a typical secondary dish and sometimes it is even served with only vegetables. If it goes as a side dish, they add sauce. It is a very popular snack and you can learn about its history at the Thuringian Sandwich Museum, one of the best museums dedicated to gastronomy.
Sauerkraut
It is simply fermented cabbage and it's all over the country. the cabbage is cut very finely and fermented for a long time. It lasts a long time and is something sour, due to bacteria that ferment the sugars in cabbage.
It is also served as an accompaniment to dishes featuring meat.
Spaetzle
In this vegetarian dish, egg noodles, and it is very popular not only in Germany but also in Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein. They are made in a homemade way with flour, new ones, salt and some cold water.
The noodles are then cut and cooked in boiling salted water until they float. They are served later with lots of melted cheese and although it can be a main dish in itself, it is generally served as a meat accompaniment.
butterkase
This type of cheese appears more on the border with Switzerland and has a tasty creamy texture and a delicate flavor. It is half fat, pure butter, and has a strong aroma.
Brezeln
Is the german version of the pretzel and you will see that they are sold a lot in the streets, warehouses and supermarkets. They are thick, somewhat salty and with sesame seeds on top. They can be eaten alone or with mustard.
Finally, no one can eat in Germany without drinking beer. Germany has a great brewing tradition, of centuries. The Pilsner variety is the most popular of all, but each region or town or city has its own version.
Bavaria is the best known beer region and here you can taste a good wheat beer. Are there typical German desserts? Yes, the gingerbread cookies or lebkuchen, apfelkuchen or apple pie, the strudel with poppy seeds, the pancakes or kaiserschmarrn, the Black Forest Cake, the typical Christmas stollen ...