German Spiessbraten - Pork Steak

by Kathryn
(Texas)

We had Spiessbraten everywhere while living in Germany, but can't seem to duplicate the spices. The only recipe I have found has salt, pepper and onions. I know it has more than that. Please help! I would love to make this for all the children when they come home for Christmas.

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Oct 25, 2024
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Idar-Oberstein 1984-1987
by: Anonymous

I served at Stassburg Kaserne 6/29th FA and lived in Idar-Oberstein from 1984-1987. Loved to go to Im Haag's for the Speisbraten and of course had it at other places and Speisbraten fest. I have never been able to duplicate it. Im Haag's cooked both pork and beef steaks back then with a white radish coleslaw and fries I have went back twice in 92 and 93 and it was just as good as I remembered. The Sparkasse also sold it and it was so good to cook at home as well.

Aug 24, 2023
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Baumholder C/ 333
by: Anonymous

Finally found some advice on this. I’ve asked other soldiers about spiesbratten and they’ve never heard of it! Can’t wait to have my own fest!

Aug 14, 2023
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Baumholder spiessbraten
by: Anonymous

First time there I was briefly housed in the Guesthaus Zum Stadtkrug. Surprised no one mentioned it in this site! Beef or pork, they were the best hunks of meat I’ve ever tasted. Still bring a tear to my eyes today because I just can’t find the right recipe or cooking method.😢

Jun 22, 2023
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Help me.....
by: Anonymous

I found many comments on the Spiessbraten recipe. Where is the Spiessbraten recipe???? Nothing here but comments & tips. Can't even search for anything.

Sep 07, 2021
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The ingredient I leaned about
by: Anonymous

I searched for years for the right spice combo. I saw mention of an ingredient one day and tried it. It was what I was looking for. The ingredient was Mace. However, go sparingly as it can be overpowering, you only need a little bit. Salt, pepper, paprika, and mace. Try it and see what you think!

Mar 25, 2020
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Spiessbraten and Baumholer
by: Stacy

Back in the late 70’s I lived downtown Baumholder in a apartment above the restaurant named Ulrich. Ithe owners stayed there too. I used to be friends with their daughter when we lived there . Frau Ulrich use to make spiessbraten and the best . It was so much fun back then.

May 12, 2018
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IO/Baumholder 84-88
by: Terri H

Oh how I miss the food!

Mar 11, 2017
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Nutmeg
by: Anonymous

We still prepare spiessbraten often. The recipe we have used adds 5 grates of nutmeg per pound--plus the salt and onions.

Sep 09, 2016
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Baumholder 73-78
by: Jackie

Loved Europe, and got married, traveled, and ate Speizbraten all over... Most of what we saw was a pork shoulder, covered with salt, white/black pepper, minced garlic, and loads of sliced onions rolled up and tied with string every 3in or so. They used the tripod frame with a round grate to hold the meats swinging over coals back and forth. If the swing stopped you could bump it with a stick. As the meat reached perfection, they would slice you 2inches steak...and seal it in....love to smell it again..

Apr 18, 2016
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Which wood to cook it on?
by: Anonymous

In Bad Kreuznach we always used roots from the grapevines for speisbraten. It gives it such a unique and wonderful flavor!

Jan 11, 2016
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Measurements and cook time needed, please!!!
by: Food Fan

How much of each ingredient do I use and is it cooked on hardwood fire for ten minutes total or five minutes on each side? I'm referring to "The Professional Way ;)" comment, by Idarer Grill Expert. I have ordered the Maggi Fondor as well! So excited to try making this. This was the best thing I've ever eaten!

Jan 03, 2016
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I miss this stuff SOO badly!
by: Tip

I lived in Baumholder from Jan 1997 to Aug 2001. We went for spiessbraten in Idar-Oberstein every chance we got. This is such a great meal that when anyone asks me what I miss most about Germany, beer is SECOND. I am going to be trying to duplicate this as soon as I can. God bless you all for your posts about little tweaks and tips!!!!

Oct 14, 2014
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Happy Memories of Germany
by: Marlene

My family is from the Idar area (Kirschweiler and Hettenrodt). I heard about spiessbraten growing up and finally was able to enjoy it 30 years ago when I took my children there. My cousins Elise and Paul invited us for a spiessbraten. Now I knew what Mom was talking about. We had the spiessbraten with potatoes,salad and of course Nahr wine. Then a few hours later left over spiessbraten, bread and radishes plus snappes. Then coffee and cake. Before I left I asked Elise for the spiessbraten recipe. She marinated the meat in Magi and onions then Paul grilled it. When we came home from Germany I had my Mother and two Uncles over for Spiessbraten. Mom and Uncle Karl hadn't had it since leaving Germany in the 1920's. I am making it this weekend to celebrate my son's birthday. So it continues to the next generation.

May 23, 2014
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Spiessbraten
by: Maruice

WOW!! What pleasant memories of Idar Oberstein as I, too, lived for 2 years in Strassburg Kaserne up on the hill over the town. Was an MP there from 62 to 64. Often went into town to enjoy Spiessbraten. There was a shed behind a Guesthaus where an older fellow cooked the delightful meat over a swinging grate. The smell was awesome and the taste was even better. Wish I could remember if it was pork or beef - always assumed beef but never asked.

Great memories, great people, great food, and the best beer on earth.

Apr 10, 2014
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ITs been a long time
by: Anonymous

I was born in Nuremberg in 1975. My dad was in the Army and we lived there till I was 6. We used to go to the Im Haag in Idar Oberstein and Spiessbraten was the recipe of the day every time. To this day I have yet to perfect it. Now that I have found this site, I will be trying again soon. My mother and I were able to return in 1996. The owner recognized my mom after more than 20 years between visits. If I could go back right now, I would and just for the Spiessbraten.

Feb 07, 2014
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baumholder 4 yrs late 80's
by: robert blackledge

lived near baumholder in the late 80's for four years in a village called deinstwieler, on the hill over idar oberstein. it was a little village of farmers and city workers who my family and their families cooked many things together. you nailed the recipe! thanks fellow baumholder resident. rob, 1SG us army (ret). cooking this next week for a friend fom boca raton, fl. thanks for helping me remember the recipe.

Jan 24, 2014
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Missing Ingredient
by: EK Chandler

I spent 3 years in Baumholder (US Army), a stone's throw from Idar Oberstein. We of course partook of Spiessbraten while there, including the Spiessbraten Fest in Idar Oberstein, plus at many Volksmarches. Anyway, I always wondered what the recipe was. I noticed in some meat markets a rolled version with copious amounts of fresh onions, pepper, and salt apparent. At the I-O fest I noticed the cooks taking the prepared meat out of tubs that had some sort of liquid in them. Since then I have experimented with making this delectable and have come up with the liquid they use....white wine vinegar. The way I use it is to dip the meat into a bowl that has about 1 Cup vinegar, let it drip shortly, and then copiously cover it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I then put it into a ziplok bag in layers with each level of meat surrounded with chopped yellow onions. I then let it sit in a refer for 3-4 days, turning the bag over every 12 hours. Before cooking, I gently rinse the meat to remove excess spices. I use oak and apple chips to cook them. My result has been tasted and verified by several German ladies at a local German deli...it has been declared sehr schmekt und richtig!!

Sep 24, 2012
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The professional way ;)
by: Idarer Grill Expert

Its actually a mixture. Mostly salt. Then WHITE pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, nutmeg and fondor. That's what the best cooks use. You cover your beef/pork with it and fresh cut onions and let it sit in a bowl for at least 24 hours!
You cook it on hardwood fire(beech works best), only flip it once! When it starts sweating 10 minutes! And you get the best spiessbraten ever made!

Dec 11, 2011
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greatest ever
by: Jan Morris

I lived in Strassburg Kassern from late 1969 until after I graduated in 1972. We enjoyed the Spiessbraten many many times. Such great memories. My sister and I are taking our 84 year old father back next year to visit the places we lived in Germany & Italy. It is his dearest wish, so while we are still able, off to Europe we go. With daddy in tow.
Jan

Aug 29, 2011
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The best way
by: Aaron

The best way to make spiessbraten is just with salt/pepper and onions. My whole family lives in hottenbach germany, I myself just returned from a visit. The way they make it is with pork tenderloin cut into 2" thick steaks.. or about 500g pieces. Then they simply cut the yellow onions into rounds and then cut the rounds in half. They cover the meat in salt and pepper and onions,place it all in a ziploc type of bag and let it set for 2 maybe 3 days in a refrigerator turning it twice a day.

Then while cooking they brown the onions and make a tray of veggies consisting of full garlic cloves cut up red and green peppers cucumbers, cover it in a vegetable type oil and spice it, place it in the oven and bingo. we also put little round potatoes in foil and cooked them on the swinging grill.

Aug 09, 2011
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our version
by: PATI B

Oh how we loved this when we lived in Idar...with the winter radish salad...what a treat.
The version we always had was beef, tho' pork would certainly work.
We would purchase rolled sirloin roast,unroll it and fill the meat with onions and the other spices you mentioned, then reroll, coat the outside with the same mixture, tie and "marinate" a day or so in the fridge.
Never thought of the nutmeg...
It was heavenly, though never quite perfect...probably the air and atmosphere of that wonderful town.

Apr 21, 2011
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you got it
by: Evette

As far as the missing ingredient you are correct it is nutmeg. I lived in I-O for 3 years right up hill from the festival... the smell was awesome! !!!!!

Nov 18, 2010
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Recipe
by: Anonymous

There are MANY variations of Spiessbraten to be sure:

Base Ingredients:
Pork / Beef
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic
Onions

Other ingredients I've seen: Mace, Mustard

Nov 07, 2010
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spiessbraten, missing ingredient
by: PeteY.

I too was captured by spieesbraten in the early 60's while wearing a green suit. The restaurant was probably the same one outside Idar-Oberstein where you ate outside and the locals worked their dogs thru obedience courses. The meat was cooked over an open fire on a swinging grate. I asked for preparation details and was told small onion pieces embedded in slits in the pork steak. Spices were salt, pepper and nutmeg! Nowhere in my internet sleuthing have I seen mention of nutmeg, but I think it may be the elusive ingredient mentioned by those who can't get it quiate right. Freshly grated nutmeg is what you want, by the way.

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Zachary - USA Tremendous website. I lived in Germany for almost 14 years. Your recipes have me excited about getting back into German cooking. Thanks so much!