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Baeckeoffe
Alsace's three-meat and potato bake, sealed under a ribbon of dough
Baeckeoffe means "baker's oven" in Alsatian, and in villages around Strasbourg and Colmar the dish was once carried to the baker's dying oven on a Monday to cook slowly while the week's washing was done. Pork shoulder, lamb and beef are marinated overnight in dry Alsace white wine with onion, garlic and herbs, then layered with potatoes in a lidded earthenware dish whose rim is sealed with a strip of flour-and-water dough. After three hours the potatoes have drunk up the wine and meat juices and the three meats fall apart under a spoon. The dish uses wine, but an alcohol-free version with stock is given in the ingredient notes; serve it straight from the pot with a green salad. Chef's tip: break the dough seal at the table, because the burst of steam and the smell of wine and thyme are half the pleasure.
- Total time
- 950 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the marinade
For the bake
For the dough seal
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb boneless pork shoulder, 1 ⅛ lb boneless lamb shoulder and 1 ⅛ lb beef chuck in a large bowl with 2 onions, 3 garlic cloves, 2 carrots, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, 4 juniper berries and 1 tsp black pepper. Pour over 2 cups dry white wine (Alsace riesling or sylvaner) and turn everything to coat.
Step 2: Cover the bowl tightly and marinate in the fridge overnight, 12–24 hours, turning the meat once if you can. Never leave it out at room temperature.
720 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 325°F (fan 275°F). Grease a large lidded casserole, ideally earthenware, with ⅔ oz lard or goose fat.
Step 4: Lift the meat and vegetables out of the marinade and keep the liquid. Lay a third of 3 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes over the base of the dish with a little ⅝ tsp salt.
Step 5: Spread half the meat, vegetables and ½ leek on top, then another third of the potatoes and ⅝ tsp salt. Repeat with the rest of the meat, the rest of ½ leek, and finish with a neat layer of potatoes and the last of ¾ tsp salt.
Step 6: Pour the marinade over: it should come about three-quarters of the way up. Top up with a little water if needed. Don't drown the top layer: the potatoes on top should steam and brown slightly at the edges, not boil.
Step 7: Mix 5 ½ oz plain flour and ½ cup water into a soft dough, roll it into a long rope and press it round the rim of the dish. Put the lid on and press down so the dough seals the gap all the way round.
Step 8: Bake for 3 hours without opening. The most common mistake is peeking: once the seal is broken the steam escapes and the meat dries out.
180 minStep 9: Crack off the dough crust and lift the lid. The meat should be fork-tender and the potatoes soft, golden at the top and soaked with juices. Fish out the herb stalks and serve from the dish.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does baeckeoffe take?
- About 950 minutes in total: 760 minutes to prepare and 190 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dry white wine (alsace riesling or sylvaner)?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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