Schlachteplatte
Encyclopedia
A Schlachtplatte, Schlachteplatte, Schlachtschüssel (Southern German) or Metzgete (Swiss) is a hearty German dish that primarily consists of boiled belly pork
(Kesselfleisch) and freshly cooked Blutwurst and Leberwurst sausages. The cooking process produces sausage juices, which are used as a soup known as Metzelsuppe. As a result, in many places, e.g. in parts of the Palatinate, the entire festival and the meal in particular, is known as Metzelsupp.
Common accompaniments to a Schlachtplatte are sauerkraut
and bread or potato
es or, in South Germany, potato pancakes (Dotsch or Reiberdatschi). Other elements might be fresh Bratwurst
and Mettwurst
or raw, spiced bratwurst filling. In Rhinehessen it is also common to enrich the dish with a sauce from part of the pig's blood (Schwarz Brie).
Traditionally Schlachtplatte is only eaten on the day of slaughter
– before the invention of refrigerators blood and sensitive organs like liver
had to be prepared straight away. Meat, which did not have to be consumed immediately was preserved by salting
, drying
and smoking. The slaughtering day offered a rare opportunity to eat fresh meat which explains why the Schlachtplatte is a rather lavish meal.
Originally these slaughtering days took place mainly in the autumn. This meant that not so many animals had to be fed over the winter, the meat could be preserved for longer in the cooler temperatures and the farmers had more time after the last harvest for turning it into ham
and sausage
s which could then be smoked over the winter hearth fire.
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
(Kesselfleisch) and freshly cooked Blutwurst and Leberwurst sausages. The cooking process produces sausage juices, which are used as a soup known as Metzelsuppe. As a result, in many places, e.g. in parts of the Palatinate, the entire festival and the meal in particular, is known as Metzelsupp.
Common accompaniments to a Schlachtplatte are sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
and bread or potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es or, in South Germany, potato pancakes (Dotsch or Reiberdatschi). Other elements might be fresh Bratwurst
Bratwurst
A bratwurst is a sausage usually composed of veal, pork or beef. The plural in German is Bratwürste....
and Mettwurst
Mettwurst
Mettwurst is a strongly flavoured German sausage made from raw minced pork, which is preserved by curing and smoking. The southern German variety is soft and similar to Teewurst. Braunschweiger mettwurst is smoked somewhat but still soft and spreadable, while other northern German varieties such...
or raw, spiced bratwurst filling. In Rhinehessen it is also common to enrich the dish with a sauce from part of the pig's blood (Schwarz Brie).
Traditionally Schlachtplatte is only eaten on the day of slaughter
Animal slaughter
Slaughter is the term used to describe the killing and butchering of animals, usually for food. Commonly it refers to killing and butchering of domestic livestock ....
– before the invention of refrigerators blood and sensitive organs like liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
had to be prepared straight away. Meat, which did not have to be consumed immediately was preserved by salting
Salting (food)
Salting is the preservation of food with dry edible salt. It is related to pickling . It is one of the oldest methods of preserving food, and two historically significant salt-cured foods are dried and salted cod and salt-cured meat.Salting is used because most bacteria, fungi and other potentially...
, drying
Drying (food)
Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms and hinders quality decay. Drying food using sun and wind to prevent spoilage has been practised since ancient times, and was the earliest form of food curing...
and smoking. The slaughtering day offered a rare opportunity to eat fresh meat which explains why the Schlachtplatte is a rather lavish meal.
Originally these slaughtering days took place mainly in the autumn. This meant that not so many animals had to be fed over the winter, the meat could be preserved for longer in the cooler temperatures and the farmers had more time after the last harvest for turning it into ham
Ham
Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
and sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
s which could then be smoked over the winter hearth fire.