An October Feast for Oktoberfest
It may be called “October”fest, but if you are just now reading this article, you are already way behind on your beer drinking and bratwurst eating. Read on, and I’ll show just how you can play a little bit of catch up.
Oktoberfest, the Bavarian celebration which first took place in 1810, is now a worldwide excuse to indulge in special German brews and an abundance of sausages and kraut. It began as a parade and party to commemorate the marriage of King Ludwig and Princess Therese. Now it is a 3 week spectacular festival devoted to Bavarian culture.
And despite its name, as you're reading this article now, you have probably missed the official Oktoberfest celebration, for it does not last through October, but rather culminates on either the first Sunday of October, or what is called German Unity Day if that day is a Monday or Tuesday.
Luckily this is America, not Munich, so we can celebrate Bavarian culture for as long as we want. Honoring food and drink from said culture anytime during the month for which the festival was named seems fitting.
The thing that Oktoberfest perhaps is best known for is its beer. In spite of this, it actually was not until 1892 that beer was first served in glass mugs. However, the brewing of a special Oktoberfest brew, slightly darker and more alcoholic than traditional German brews, has become a main attraction in the modern festivities. In better markets and liquor stores here in the US you can expect to find such Oktoberfest specialties from German brewers as Paulaner, Hofbrau, Erdinger, and Spaten.
Beyond beer, Bavarian culture also is known for its abundance and variety of sausage and wurst. Bratwurst, a seasoned pork sausage, is perhaps the standard in German sausages. Since sausage making is beyond the desires or practices of most home cooks, it is fortunate that most specialty markets either make their own in-house sausage or carry a variety from gourmet sausage suppliers.
If traditional pork brats are too standard, the nuernberger bratwurst, a combination of pork, beef, and veal is a great next step in exploring one's sausage horizons. No matter the variety, unlike its American cousin the hot dog, German sausages are typically raw and need to be cooked thoroughly before consuming. Frying, grilling, and steaming are all appropriate methods of cooking a large weiner. And of course, steaming or boiling with an Oktoberfest brew would most certainly match the spirit of the season.
If looking for something to pair with one's sausage and beer, sauerkraut is almost a given. Sauerkraut, a type of fermented, pickled cabbage is not something one normally attempts at home. A properly made batch of sauerkraut can be a couple-month project, which slightly exceeds the parameters of a 30 minute meal for most home cooks. However, there are more varieties of sauerkraut available in the markets today and even a low-end kraut can be doctored by the home cook by sautéing in butter and adding spices for a perfectly acceptable accompaniment for a German feast.
For a side, spätzle--a type of German noodle made either with a spätzle maker or by pushing the dough through the holes of a colander--is again, a bit too tedious a process for most home cooks. So if one is looking for a carb to complete the German sausage plate, potatoes are the good old standby. German potato salad, a mayonnaise-free salad served warm with the strong flavors of mustard and bacon is the perfect way to round out a Bavarian feast and counter the extra strong Oktoberfest brews.
Whether you are German or not, we can all appreciate a festival that celebrates two things we also adore on this side of the pond: beer and encased meats. So pour yourself a brew and dish up a hearty plate of brats, kraut and potatoes and say Cheers to a party that we can celebrate through Oktoberfest, the month of October, and beyond.
Made with parsley, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, new potatoes, bacon, onion, brown mustard, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper
Serves/Makes: 6
- 2 pounds new potatoes, peeled if desired
- 3 slices bacon
- 1/2 medium onion, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons grainy brown mustard
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the potatoes and cook until they are easily pierced with a knife. Drain well and set aside.
Cook the bacon until just crisp in a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the bacon from the skillet and let drain on paper toweling. Let cool then chop.
Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on the paper toweling with the bacon.
Combine the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper as desired, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Mix well.
Slice the drained potatoes about 1/4-inch thick and place in a bowl with the bacon, onion, and fresh parsley.
Stir the olive oil into the mustard mixture and mix well. Gently toss the potatoes with the dressing, mixing until they are coated. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed and serve the potato salad warm.
Made with fennel seeds, sauerkraut, German beer, bratwurst sausages, butter, onion
Serves/Makes: 6
- 2 bottles (12 ounce size) German beer
- 6 bratwurst sausages
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 can (32 ounce size) sauerkraut, well drained
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
Place the beer in the bottom of a saucepan with a steamer insert. Bring the beer to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the brats to the steamer insert and let steam, covered, for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft. Add the sauerkraut and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the sauerkraut is heated through.
Serve the steamed bratwurst on buns or bread with the seasoned sauerkraut and any desired condiments such as spicy mustard.
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1 comments
Don't waste good German beer, I use a can of cheap American beer that I let set in the sun unopened until it gets warm, not hot. Add a tablespoon of butter and crushed garlic to each can of beer. Add the onions to the butter/beer. Bring to boil, add the brats and reduce heat. Let this simmer until the beer has evaporated. Remove the brats, then add the sauerkraut. Replace the brats after the kraut is cooked long enough to warm them up.
Comment posted by Jim
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