Schäufele
Schäufele is a Franconian specialty that I learned about soon after Alex and I met. I was first served schäufele in a small restaurant nearby her parents’ home in Pottenstein, Bavaria, Germany. It is beyond delicious!
The most challenging part of preparing schäufele in the United States (and possibly anywhere outside of Germany) is finding a butcher that can get and cut a pork shoulder properly. It must have the rind intact, and be cut against the bone. Schäufele translates into a small shovel - the shape of the bone in the prepared dish. Properly cooked, the meat is tender and falls apart like pulled pork, while the rind is rich and crispy.
This is a recipe that requires some skill to master. As a trained and certified professional chef, I had a bit of a head start with understanding technique. Alex and my German guests said that I nailed it.
1 Pork Shoulder, 3-4 pounds, with bones and rind, cut into 3-4 pieces.
2 Onions, peeled and roughly chopped.
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and roughly chopped.
1 Large Carrot, peeled and roughly chopped.
1 Teaspoon Caraway Seeds
1 12 oz can Dark Bavarian Beer
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
Salt and Black Pepper
Cookware: A large roasting pan, a very sharp knife, and a probe thermometer.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Rinse the meat under cold water and pat dry. Carefully cut a criss-cross pattern in the rind on an angle, spaced 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch apart. Rub all areas of the meat with salt, pepper, and caraway seeds, and make sure that the seasoning and seeds get into the cuts in the rind.
Scatter the vegetables and garlic in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the meat in the pan, rind side up. Add enough equal parts of beer and chicken stock to the bottom of the pan to submerge the bottom inch of the meat. Roast the meat, uncovered, for 3 to 4 hours, basting periodically with the pan liquids, until it reaches an internal temperature of 155F.
Pour the remaining beer over the top of the meat, and continue to roast until the internal temperature reaches 170F.
Increase the oven temperature to 450F. Baste the meat one final time with the pan liquids. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the rind is crisp.
Schäufele is usually served with a gravy that is made from the pan drippings, Kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings), and Wirsinggemüse (creamed savoy cabbage).