The Art Of Making Bavarian Leberkase At Home

Bavarian Leberkase, or Fleischkase, is a traditional German meatloaf that has become famous worldwide. Despite its name, which translates to liver cheese, it does not contain either liver or cheese. The name comes from the German words Laib, meaning loaf, and Kas, meaning compact edible mass. The dish is made from a mixture of beef, pork, and fat, which is ground, mixed, and baked in a loaf pan until it forms a crunchy brown crust. It can be served warm or cold and is often eaten in slices with a crusty roll and mustard, or fried with an egg on top.

Characteristics of Bavarian Leberkase

Choosing your ingredients: Bavarian Leberkase consists of beef, pork, and fat

Bavarian Leberkase is a type of German meatloaf, or liver cheese, despite not containing liver or cheese. It is made from beef, pork, and fat, and is baked in a loaf tin to give it its distinctive shape.

When choosing your ingredients, it's important to remember that the meat should be very cold before you use it and should not get warm at any time during the process of making Leberkase. The meat should be placed in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before grinding. You will need:

• Beef – use a lean cut such as brisket or chuck, or use ground beef.
• Pork – use ground pork.
• Fat – pork belly or bacon.

The ratio of beef to pork varies according to different recipes, but generally, you will need more pork than beef. For 1000g of Leberkase, one recipe suggests 150g of beef brisket/chuck and 600g of ground pork, while another suggests 450g of lean beef and 550g of lean pork.

You will also need curing salt, white pepper, and spices such as marjoram, paprika powder, ginger powder, and nutmeg.

Preparing your equipment: You will need a meat grinder, food processor, and loaf pan

To make Bavarian Leberkase, you will need a few key pieces of equipment. Firstly, a meat grinder is essential to grind the meat to the right consistency. You can ask your butcher to do this for you, but if you want to do it yourself, a meat grinder is necessary. The meat should be cut into small cubes or strips before being put through the grinder. The size of these pieces will depend on the size of your grinder, so bear that in mind. You can also put the parts of your grinder in the freezer beforehand to help with the process.

Next, you will need a food processor. This is used to blend the meat mixture until it reaches a smooth, shiny consistency. This can take up to 15 minutes, and it is important to keep the mixture cold throughout, so you may need to pause and chill the food processor in the fridge. You will also need a blender to crush ice, which is added to the meat to keep it cold.

Finally, you will need a loaf pan or bread pan to bake your Leberkase in. You can use a variety of dishes, including stainless steel, ceramic, or glass, but a loaf shape is traditional. Grease your pan before adding the meat mixture, and be sure to press it in firmly to avoid air bubbles, which will affect the look of your slices.

Mixing the meat: Cut the meat into cubes and mix with spices, curing salt, and ice

To make Bavarian Leberkase, you'll need to cut the meat into cubes and mix it with spices, curing salt, and ice. Here's a detailed guide on how to do this:

• Start by cutting your meat into small cubes or strips. The size of the pieces will depend on the size of your meat grinder. If you have a larger grinder, you can cut the meat into bigger pieces.
• Add all the spices (except for the salt and cure) to the meat and mix well. You can use a variety of spices, such as white pepper, marjoram, ginger powder, paprika powder, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, mustard powder, and coriander.
• Place the spiced meat into the freezer for about 1-2 hours. This step helps with the grinding process and temperature control. You can also put the movable parts of your grinder in the freezer.
• Remove the meat from the freezer and grind it using the finest perforated disc (2mm) on your meat grinder. If you want a coarser texture, you can grind the meat twice, with one-third of the mixture passing through the smallest disc and two-thirds through the medium perforated disc.
• In a separate bowl, mix the crushed ice with your curing salt. The curing salt is important as it helps the Leberkase retain a nice colour. It will turn a beautiful red with the salt; without it, the meatloaf will be a bit grey.
• Now, it's time to combine the meat and the ice mixture. Add the minced meat, salt, cutter phosphate (or a binder of your choice), and the cure to a food processor. Process the ingredients until they form a cohesive mass. You can also use a stand mixer, but the texture may not be as smooth.
• Gradually add the crushed ice to the food processor while it's running. This step is crucial as it keeps the temperature of the meat mixture low. If the temperature rises above 12°C (53°F), the mixture may split.

By following these steps, you'll have a well-mixed and seasoned meat base for your Bavarian Leberkase, ready to be shaped and baked!

Shaping the loaf: Grease your loaf pan and press the meat mixture into it, ensuring no air bubbles are trapped

Shaping the loaf is an important step in making Bavarian Leberkäse. To do this, first, grease your loaf pan. You can use butter or oil to do this. Then, press the meat mixture into the pan. It is important to ensure that no air bubbles are trapped, as this will affect the look of the slices later. Use a spatula to press the mixture down and smooth the top. You can also use wet fingers to even out the top.

Once you have shaped the loaf, you will need to create a criss-cross pattern on the surface. You can do this with a knife or a spatula. Cut the pattern into the surface of the meat loaf in a cross pattern. This will give it a nice shape when baking.

Baking the Leberkase: Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 30-60 minutes, or until the meat reaches a core temperature of 70°C

Now that you've prepared your Leberkase mixture, it's time to bake it! Preheat your oven to 180°C. Place your Leberkase on the third (or middle) rack of the oven and bake for 30-60 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on the size of your baking dish, so keep an eye on it. You'll know it's ready when the meat reaches a core temperature of 70°C.

To brown the crust, increase the temperature to 205°C and place the loaf on the oven's fifth rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until you're happy with the colour of the crust. Turn the oven off, leaving the oven door open, and leave the loaf inside for another 10 minutes.

Your Bavarian Leberkase is now ready to be enjoyed!

Frequently asked questions