Grünkohl mit Pinkel (North German Braised Kale with Smoked Sausage)
In short: Slowly braised kale with onions, smoked bacon and oats, served with smoked sausages and boiled potatoes, a northern winter classic. It takes about 2 h 10 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 40 min
- Total
- 2 h 10 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 575 kcal
In northern Germany, winter means Grünkohl. Curly kale is cooked slowly with onions, smoked bacon and a spoon of oats, then served with smoked sausage, usually the groat sausage called Pinkel, and potatoes. Friends and clubs go on a Kohlfahrt, a walk that ends with a pot of kale. The cooking is easy but long, and the flavor improves if you make it a day ahead.
Instructions
- Strip the kale leaves from the tough stems and wash them well. Blanch in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, drain, cool and squeeze out the water. Chop coarsely. If using frozen kale, thaw and squeeze it dry.
- Heat the fat in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onions for 5 minutes, then add the bacon piece and brown it for 3 minutes.
- Add the kale and stir well. Pour in the hot broth, bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Lay the sausages on top of the kale and cook for 25 minutes more. Boil the potatoes separately for 20 minutes.
- Lift out the bacon and sausages. Stir the oats and mustard into the kale and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, tasting first, since the bacon is salty.
- Slice the bacon and sausages and serve with the kale and potatoes.
Tips
- Kale is traditionally cooked after the first frost, which makes the leaves sweeter. Freezing the raw leaves overnight gives a similar effect.
- Pinkel is hard to find outside northern Germany. Any good smoked pork sausage works, along with the piece of smoked bacon.
Questions and answers
Why is kale picked after frost?
Frost makes kale sweeter by turning some of its starch into sugar. At home you can mimic this by freezing the leaves overnight before cooking.
Can I make Grünkohl ahead?
Yes, it is even better the next day. Keep it 4 days in the fridge or freeze it for up to 3 months, and reheat gently with a splash of broth.
What can I use instead of Pinkel?
Any good smoked pork sausage or smoked bratwurst, plus a piece of smoked bacon. The smokiness is what the dish needs.
How long does it take to make Grünkohl mit Pinkel (North German Braised Kale with Smoked Sausage)?
About 2 h 10 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Grünkohl mit Pinkel (North German Braised Kale with Smoked Sausage)?
About 575 kcal per serving, with 22 g of protein, 39 g of carbohydrates and 37 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 575 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 39 g |
| Fat | 37 g |
| Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 1400 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
