Recipe for baeckeoffe – The traditional Alsatian stew pot
When temperatures drop, there's nothing more comforting than a family meal! A good baeckeoffe is the perfect comfort food, so here's the real Alsatian recipe for baeckeoffe/baeckaofa!
Origin of baeckeoffe
The bäckaofa, which means “the baker’s oven” in Alsatian: in the old days, the terracotta dish, the bäckeoffe, was taken to the baker’s on Sundays before going to mass. The oven was still hot and it was rare to have an oven at home. Dishes decorated in different ways were easily identifiable, and there was little chance of anyone leaving the Sunday service with their neighbor’s dish. What’s more, a beautiful bäkeofe will look great on your table (as well as keeping your dish warm).
Baeckaofa meats
For the choice of meat, we use at least 3 different types: pork, veal, lamb and beef (and we can add pig’s trotters, cut in half if you like). As always, marinating the meat will add flavor to the dish, which will simmer for 3 hours.
A convivial dish par excellence
There’s no need to try and make this dish in small quantities, the solution is to make it for 6 people and invite your friends and family. But then you won’t have anything left to reheat the next day!
Our recipe
Baeckeoffe
Ustensiles
- glazed terracotta baeckeoffe terrine (failing that, a cast-iron casserole dish, but check that the knob on the lid is oven-safe)
Ingredients
- 500 gr pork
- 500 gr beef
- 500 gr lamb
- Optional: Pork trotters
- 1,5 kg firm-fleshed potatoes (Charlotte)
- 3 onions
- 1 leek white
- 1 carrot
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 crushed juniper berries
- 1 bottle of Alsace white wine (Sylvaner or Riesling)
- 200 g flour
- salt
- peppercorns and ground pepper
Instructions
The day before
- Cut meats into cubes (or have your butcher do it for you). Peel and chop the onions, carrot, leek white and garlic clove. Place the vegetables in a large bowl with the meat cubes, thyme and bay leaf. Sprinkle with wine, stir a little, cover and leave to marinate in a cool place for 12 hours.
D-Day
- Once this time has elapsed, peel and slice the potatoes into not too thin rounds. Place a layer in a bowl. Cover with vegetables from the marinade, then with drained meat. Season with salt and pepper and repeat until all ingredients are used up. Pour the marinade and herbs over the top of the baeckeofe. Add juniper and peppercorns. Put the lid on.
- Preheat oven to th 5 (150°).
- Lutez the terrine: prepare a dough with the flour and a little water. Shape it into a boudin, and place it around the lid to seal the joint with the terrine (the fragrances remain concentrated inside). Bake for 3 h. Serve the terrine at the table and break off the crust to open the lid in front of your guests.
Notes
- If you don't have a large glazed terrine, you can use a cast-iron casserole, but check that the knob on the lid is oven-safe.
- Stirring is essential to keep all the flavors concentrated and the meats simmering in the liquid.
- Baeckeoffe can be reheated in a very low oven, provided it has not been opened.
- The right wine pairing: a Pinot Noir
