German Grill Marinade is the best meat marinade you can find. It differs from other grill marinades in terms of the amount of onion used. The onions give the steaks a unique but not overwhelming flavour. The German grill marinade is quick to make, and steaks must marinate for at least 24 hours for a maximal flavour boost.
Table of Contents
Recipe
If you’re a fan of German cuisine, you’ve likely savoured the unique taste of Schwenker, the German Grilled Pork Necks. These succulent meats are soaked for 24 hours in a distinctive German Grill Marinade before grilling, a flavour that can also enhance leaner meats like pork chops or chicken breast.
Traditional German Grill Marinade - German Pork Nack Steak
Ingredients
- 4 Onions
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 4 Juniper Berries
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 1/2 tsp Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Marjoram
- 1 tsp Paprika powder
- Cayenne pepper optional
- 250 ml Vegetable Oil
- 4 Pork Neck Steaks 2-3 cm thick
Instructions
Prepare the marinade
- Cur the onions into thin rings.
- Put the garlic through the garlic press.
- Tear the bay leaves apart into smaller pieces.
- In a medium bowl, mix onion, garlic, juniper berries, bay leaves, mustard, thyme, marjoram, paprika powder, and cayenne pepper (optionally).
- Pour vegetable oil over the spice mixture and combine.
- Coat pork neck steaks in a marinade and put them in an airtight container. Store in a fridge for at least 24 hours.
Grill pork neck
- Remove the pork neck steaks from the marinade. Shake off any loose onion bits before grilling. The used marinade can be either brushed on the meat or thrown away.
- Preheat the grill to 260°C.
- Grill the pork neck for 4-5 minutes from each side on the indirect heat.
The German Grill Marinade is a versatile treasure trove of flavours, featuring onions, garlic, juniper berries, bay leaves, mustard, thyme, marjoram, paprika powder, and vegetable oil. For those who love a kick of heat, cayenne pepper can be a bold addition. This marinade is not just for Schwenker; it can elevate the taste of leaner meats like pork chops or chicken breast, offering a wide range of culinary possibilities. When cutting pork neck slices yourself, aim for 2 to 3 cm thick slices and cut against the grain. Per person, you should count 200g of meat.
For maximal flavour, the pork neck steaks must be marinated for at least 24 hours but at most 48 hours. It would be best to store the coated meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator. After marinating the meat, shaking off any loose onion bits before grilling is essential. The onion tends to burn over the direct heat, so it’s better to grill it separately if that’s what you want. The used German Grill Marinade can be either brushed on the meat or thrown away.
Traditionally, Schwenker is grilled on the Schwenker by a Schwenker. I know this is confusing. That’s because Schwenker has two other meanings. First, it is a word to describe a type of grill. The Schwenker grill is an oval rack attached to a tripod with a chain. The grill rack stands over an open beechwood fire. Second, Schwenker (or Schwenkermeister) is the cook who rotates the grill rack with the meat slowly over the flames. This way, the meat is cooked evenly and becomes juicy and smoky.
This type of grill, the Schwenker, is deeply rooted in the culinary culture of Saarland, a region in the southwest of Germany. Its origin can be traced back to the growing steel industry, which allowed people from Saarland to construct this grill easily. Today, you can find these grills throughout Germany, a testament to their enduring popularity and cultural significance, even at our Frankfurter Christmas Market.
If you don’t have a Schwenker, don’t worry. You can still make the German Pork Necks using a regular grill. We use our Napoleon Phantom TravelQ PRO Gas Grill because we live in the city, and no, we do not have an open fire on our loggia. This reassurance should make you feel confident in your ability to recreate this delicious dish, regardless of your grilling setup.
Grilling German pork neck steak is straightforward and quick. The marinated steaks should be grilled on each side for 4 to 5 minutes on direct heat at 260-290 °C. Then, you have to let them rest briefly for 1-2 minutes, and you can serve them.
Several side dishes can be served with your grilled pork neck. Classic German potato salads, noodle salad, coleslaw, cucumber salad, kohlrabi and apple salad and grilled vegetables go perfectly with it. Boiling potatoes with herb cream cheese is a great choice.
Additionally, for Grill Parties, Germans willingly reach for Greek tzatziki, baguette with herb butter, grilled corn on the cob, Caprese salad, Italian noodle salad with pesto, Greek salad, Bulgur Salad, American coleslaw, ratatouille, and watermelon and feta salad.
In terms of condiments, German Schwenker goes well with mustard. You can melt some herb butter all over it if you like.
Storage & Reheating
The German Grill Marinade can be stored in the fridge with a meat for 48 hours. The grilled pork neck steaks can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freeze grilled pork nack steaks for up to 6 months.
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