Rutabaga Stew

Makes 8 servings

This dish is a good representative of the one-pot dishes in German cuisine. Hearty and easy to prepare with simple means, these types of stews provide a substantial meal, especially during cold winter seasons.

Ingredients

  • One 1-lb smoked ham hock
  • 3 quarts chicken stock
  • 1 lb onions, large dice
  • 1/4 cup lard
  • 1 lb 8 oz cured and smoked sausage, like andouille or kielbasa (see note), cut into large dice
  • 3 lb large-dice rutabagas
  • 1 lb yellow potatoes, peeled, cut into large dice
  • Salt, as needed
  • Ground black pepper, as needed
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped not too finely
  • Coarsely cracked black pepper (optional)

Directions

  1. Simmer the ham hock in the stock over low to medium heat until fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 3 hours. Once tender, remove the hock from the stock and take off all meat from the bone and skin, dice it, and set aside. Reserve the resulting ham hock and stock.
  2. In a stockpot over medium heat, sweat the onions in the lard until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pork butt and continue to sweat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Add the rutabagas, potatoes, cooked ham hock meat, and stock, bring to a boil, and simmer gently over low to medium heat until everything is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. To serve, add the parsley and optionally add a generous amount of coarsely cracked black pepper. Serve in a soup bowl.

    Note: This recipe dish generally uses cured and smoked pork shoulder in place of the sausage. If this is available, you can use that instead.

CIA FOODIES

Rutabaga Stew

Rutabaga Stew
Makes 8 servings This dish is a good representative of the one-pot dishes in German cuisine. Hearty and easy to prepare with simple means, these types of stews provide a substantial meal, especially during cold winter seasons.

Ingredients

  • One 1-lb smoked ham hock
  • 3 quarts chicken stock
  • 1 lb onions, large dice
  • 1/4 cup lard
  • 1 lb 8 oz cured and smoked sausage, like andouille or kielbasa (see note), cut into large dice
  • 3 lb large-dice rutabagas
  • 1 lb yellow potatoes, peeled, cut into large dice
  • Salt, as needed
  • Ground black pepper, as needed
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped not too finely
  • Coarsely cracked black pepper (optional)

Directions

  1. Simmer the ham hock in the stock over low to medium heat until fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 3 hours. Once tender, remove the hock from the stock and take off all meat from the bone and skin, dice it, and set aside. Reserve the resulting ham hock and stock.
  2. In a stockpot over medium heat, sweat the onions in the lard until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pork butt and continue to sweat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Add the rutabagas, potatoes, cooked ham hock meat, and stock, bring to a boil, and simmer gently over low to medium heat until everything is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. To serve, add the parsley and optionally add a generous amount of coarsely cracked black pepper. Serve in a soup bowl.
    Note: This recipe dish generally uses cured and smoked pork shoulder in place of the sausage. If this is available, you can use that instead.

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