If you’re looking for a delicious and comforting side dish to enhance your dinner, look no further than German pan-fried potatoes. This simple yet satisfying recipe features crispy potatoes and a touch of butter that will have everyone coming back for seconds. Whether served alongside hearty meats or as part of a vegetarian feast, these golden-brown delights are sure to impress. Join us as we explore how to make the perfect German pan-fried potatoes, which will become a staple in your cooking repertoire!
Table of Contents
Traditional German Bratkartoffeln
- 400 g waxy potatoes
- 30 g butter
- salt
- Decide whether to make your Bratkartoffeln from jacket potatoes or boiled potatoes without the skin. It's a matter of preference—some like peeling the potatoes before cooking, some after.
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Place them in a pot and cover them with cold water to fully submerge them. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 20 minutes with a lid on. To check for doneness, pierce a potato with a fork; it should be soft. It's important not to overcook them, so cook only for the necessary time and no longer.
- Once the potatoes are ready, drain them and set them aside to allow the water to evaporate.
- Peel the potatoes while they are still warm using a small knife or a potato peeler. (Pellkartoffelgabel)
- Allow them to get cold before you fry them. This might take up to 1 hour.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Cover them in a pot with cold water to fully submerge them. Bring the water to a boil and add one tablespoon of salt. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 20 minutes with a lid on. To check for doneness, pierce a potato with a fork; it should be soft. It's important not to overcook them, so cook only for the necessary time and no longer.
- Once the potatoes are ready, drain them and set them aside to allow the water to evaporate.
- Allow them to get cold before you fry them. This might take up to 1 hour.
- Cut the potatoes into 5 mm thick slices. I like my slices to be thicker because I love the texture of a soft potato slice with a crust.
- Preheat the butter in a large coated or cast iron pan over medium heat.
- Place one layer of potato slices in the pan and fry without turning for 5 minutes.
- Then, turn them (I am using cooking tongs) and fry for another 4 minutes.
- As soon as they are crispy, correct the seasoning.
- Serve immediately or keep them in a preheated oven at 80°C on the fan setting until ready to serve.
Introduction to German Pan-Fried Potatoes
What Are German Pan-Fried Potatoes?
German pan-fried potatoes, known as Bratkartoffeln, are crispy potato slices fried in fat. Traditionally, Bratkartoffeln are made from leftover jacket potatoes, but some people prefer to make them from raw potato slices. Waxy potatoes are the best choice for preparing this delicious side dish.
The History Behind This Classic Dish
German Pan-Fried Potatoes, known as Bratkartoffeln, were featured in a well-known German cookbook by Henriette Davidis in 1845. She recommended using either cooked and still warm jacket potatoes or cold boiled potatoes for the dish. For frying, she suggested using pure butter and recommended adding bacon cubes for those who preferred a richer flavor. In terms of seasoning, she only used salt.
In the 19th century, Bratkartoffeln were considered a special treat for workers in industrial cities. This side dish provided a comforting connection to the warm home kitchens they had left behind. The addition of onion and bacon elevated the dish, making it even more delightful.
Ingredients for German Fried Potatoes
How many pan-fried potatoes per person?
If you plan to serve Bratkartoffeln as a side dish, prepare 200g of potatoes per serving. Additionally, you can add 1/4 onion and 30g of bacon cubes per person.
Essential Ingredients
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My story with the food
Waxy Potatoes — Waxy potatoes hold their shape while pan-fried. The best Bratkarotoffeln are from cold, leftover potatoes or jacket potatoes. Keep in mind that jacket potatoes contain more nutrients.
You can also make Bratkartoffeln from raw potatoes. To do this, peel and slice the potatoes, then fry them in a pan with good amount fat. Cover the pan with a lid to ensure the potato slices are cooked thoroughly. Although this method seems easier, pan-fried potatoes made from boiled potatoes tend to be crisper. To enhance crispiness, you could fry the potatoes in a deep fryer; however, this will result in potato fries rather than Bratkartoffeln.
Fat – I use butter for frying because German Bratkartoffeln doesn’t need high heat (just time) to be crispy. Butter always enhances the flavour of any fried dish; let’s agree on that.
Salt – The best and only seasoning German pan-fried potatoes need is salt. But if you know me well, you know my minimalistic approach to life and cooking. I list the optional seasoning mixture below if you still want to spice things up.
Optional Ingredients for Extra Flavour
Onion – Enhances the flavour.
Bacon – Enhances the flavour.
Bratkartoffeln Seasoning – Although salt is the best seasoning, if you want to enhance the flavour of your pan-fried potatoes further, you can use pepper caraway seeds, marjoram, or sugar.
Step-by-Step Tutorial: Making German Pan-Fried Potatoes
Preparing the Potatoes
- Use potatoes of similar size to ensure that they cook evenly.
- For Bratkartoffeln, you can use a jacket or peeled, boiled potatoes – the choice is yours.
- Cook the potatoes until soft, but be careful so they don’t overcook (if they are too soft, they will likely fall apart while pan-frying). Medium-sized potatoes cook for 20-25 minutes.
- If you use jacket potatoes, drain them after cooking and let the water evaporate. If possible, peel them hot.
- Slice and the potatoes only when they are cold.
Cooking Techniques for Crispy Perfection
To make German Pan-Fried Potatoes, use a large coated frying pan or a cast iron pan, both of which are excellent choices.
Cook the potatoes over medium heat. While many cooking blogs suggest frying at high temperatures, I find that using lower heat, even if it takes more time, helps ensure that the Bratkartoffeln don’t brown too quickly.
To achieve maximum crispiness, fry the potato slices in a single layer. Overcrowding the pan will prevent them from crisping properly. Cook the potato slices for about five minutes on each side before flipping them.
If you’re preparing a large quantity of pan-fried potatoes, keep the cooked slices warm in the oven at 60°C (140°F) using a convection setting.
Adding Bacon and Onion for Extra Taste
If you want to add bacon and onions to your fried potatoes, I recommend sautéing them separately in butter. Adding the bacon and onions directly with potatoes to the pan can cause the onions to burn and turn bitter, while the bacon can become tough.
Tools that might come in handy
Serving Suggestions
Perfect Side for Meat Dishes
Panfried potatoes can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes. Here are my favorite ways to serve Bratkartoffeln.
- With onion and bacon as a Bauernfrühstück
- With Schnitzel and Green Sauce
- With Cordon-Bleu
- With Beef Tenderloin
- With Pork Tenderloin
- With Zwiebelrostbraten
- With Leberkäse and Egg
- With Pannfisch
- With Scholle Finkenwerder Art
- With Schäufelchen and Sauerkraut
Great Accompaniment for Vegetarian Options
German pan-fried potatoes are the perfect side dish for any vegetarian dish. I love serving Bratkartoffeln with:
- With Fried Egg
- With Boiled Egg and Green Sauce
- With German Mixed Salad
- With Pan-Fried Onions
Storage & Reheating
In an airtight container, keep pan-fried potatoes in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing pan-fried potatoes.
Reheat cold pan-fried potatoes in hot fat for 5-6 minutes.
FAQ
Germany has many famous potato dishes: pan-fried potatoes (Bratkartoffeln), potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße), potato pancakes (Karotffelpuffer), potato soup (Kartoffelsuppe), just to name a few.
The best potatoes for frying are waxy potatoes. Waxy potatoes contain less starch and therefore they don’t fall apart while being cooked fried.
If you like crispy pan-fried potatoes then you should boil the potatoes before pan-frying. Pan-fried potatoes from raw potatoes also need to cook in the pan and therefore are usually less crispy as the once that have been cooked before and then fried.
You can! Just be aware that raw potatoes might not be as crispy as the once that are made from boiled potatoes.
Looking for more inspiration?
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German Potatoes is one of my favorite subjects that I talk about on my YouTube Channel. If you are insterested about finding out more about other potato dishes like 3 Potato Dumpings Varieties or 3 German Potato Salads and other potato dishes head to my YouTube Channel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, German pan-fried potatoes are easy to prepare and serve as a delicious side dish that can elevate any meal. These crispy delights will satisfy whether paired with a hearty meat dish or enjoyed alongside a simple side salad. So gather your potatoes, heat up the pan, and indulge in a tasty, low-effort addition to your dinner table!
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