Schweinsbraten (Austrian Roast Pork with Caraway and Crackling)
In short: Pork shoulder with a crackling rind, roasted with caraway, garlic and onions until tender, with a rich pan gravy. The Austrian Sunday roast. It takes about 2 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 h 30 min
- Resting
- 20 min
- Total
- 2 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 470 kcal
Schweinsbraten is the Austrian Sunday roast: a piece of pork shoulder with the rind scored, rubbed with garlic, caraway and salt and roasted until the meat is tender and the skin crackles. Onions and carrots roast underneath and turn into the base of a dark, savory gravy. It is served with bread dumplings and sauerkraut or warm cabbage salad. Plan on slow roasting, and rest the meat well before slicing.
Instructions
- Take the pork out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Score the rind in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, cutting through the skin but not into the meat. Dry the rind well with paper towels.
- Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Mix the garlic, caraway, marjoram, 2 teaspoons of salt, pepper and oil into a paste and rub it into the meat on all sides, but not on the rind. Rub only a little salt into the rind.
- Scatter the onions and carrots in a roasting pan and set the pork on top, rind side up. Pour 200 ml (3/4 cup) of the hot stock into the pan, around the meat.
- Roast for 30 minutes to start the crackling, then reduce the heat to 170°C (340°F). Continue roasting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting the meat, not the rind, with the pan juices every 30 minutes.
- Roast until a thermometer in the center reads 85°C (185°F), when pork shoulder is tender enough to slice. The safe minimum is 63°C (145°F), but shoulder needs more heat to soften.
- If the rind is not crisp, raise the oven to 230°C (450°F) or use the grill for 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely. Move the pork to a board and rest it, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes.
- For the gravy, strain the pan juices into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables, and add the remaining stock. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, skim off the fat and season.
- Slice the meat against the grain, with the crackling on top, and serve with the gravy, bread dumplings and sauerkraut.
Tips
- For extra-crisp crackling, pat the rind dry and leave the uncovered pork in the fridge overnight, then salt it just before roasting. Dry skin crisps best.
- Many Austrian cooks add 250 ml (1 cup) of dark beer to the pan in place of some of the stock for a deeper flavor.
Questions and answers
How do I get crispy crackling on Schweinsbraten?
Score the rind, dry it well, salt it lightly and keep it dry during roasting. Start hot at 220°C (425°F) for 30 minutes, and finish under the grill for a few minutes if needed, watching carefully.
What do you serve with Schweinsbraten?
Bread dumplings (Semmelknödel), sauerkraut or warm cabbage salad (Krautsalat) and the pan gravy. Potato dumplings also work well.
Can I roast pork loin instead?
Pork loin is leaner and cooks faster, about 1 1/2 hours in total, and it is done at 63 to 70°C (145 to 158°F). Shoulder gives juicier meat, which is why Austrians prefer it.
How long does it take to make Schweinsbraten (Austrian Roast Pork with Caraway and Crackling)?
About 2 h 50 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 2 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Schweinsbraten (Austrian Roast Pork with Caraway and Crackling)?
About 470 kcal per serving, with 40 g of protein, 10 g of carbohydrates and 30 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 470 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 1000 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
