Schaufele Recipe

Schäufele is a traditional German pork shoulder roast made from a pig’s scapula. It’s signature look often includes a criss-cross pattern etched or slashed into the pork rind. The recipe can vary based on the region in Germany in which it is made.

This dish, or variations of it, is also at times referred to as  Fränkisches Schäufele, Schäufele Kaufen, Badisches Schäufele, Fränkisches Schäufele, Schäuferle, Schüfeli, Schäuferla or Schäufelchen.

Schaufele by Region

In Franconia the  pork rind is etched and the meat roast is roasted as  a whole. Before that, the pork rind is scratched in a criss-cross pattern and seasoned.   It is braised in a  casserole dish or roasting pan and vegetables and onions are often added. It is common to roast the pork in beer.

In Baden the dish used  cured and smoked pork that is braised in a mixture of  broth, wine, vinegar, onions, and spices.

The dish is a common holiday or Christmas dish in many regions, including in Switzerland.

Occasionally the roast is grilled instead of roasted or braised.

What to Serve with Schaufele

The pork roast is often served with gravy and Kartoffelklöße, which is a traditional potato dumpling or with Semmelknodel, which is a traditional German bread dumpling. 

Salad, sauerkraut and red cabbage also are often paired with it. To be particularly traditional try it with Rahmwirsing – creamed German cabbage. 

Another common side is a Northern German Potato Salad or a traditional German Potato Salad.

Want a non-traditional potato dumpling? Try this potato dumplings with apricots.

Of course the dish also pairs perfectly with a good German beer!

Schaufele Pork Shoulder Recipe

Below is the recipe for basic German Schaufele.

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Schaufele Recipe

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 pork shoulder, with bones and rind
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1’’ fresh root ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup beer
• 1 can chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup assorted veggies, shredded

Instructions

1. Rinse the meat under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Make criss-cross slashes on top of rind, spaced 1 cm apart, to make diamond-shaped patterns and season the pork generously by running salt as well as pepper.
3. Rub the ground cumin all over it and place it into a roasting pan, with its rind facing upward.
4. Scatter the shredded veggie around it and roast it in an oven, preheated earlier to 220 degrees C, until it is browned.
5. Pour in enough chicken broth so that 2 cm of the pork remains submerged in it.
6. Return the meat into the oven and roast further for 1 ½ hours more.
7. Keep basting it with the pan drippings from time to time in order to prevent the rind from becoming too dark and keep it moist.
8. About 15 minutes before the cooking time gets over, pour the beer all over the pork and pop it back into the oven and glaze.
9. Once the meat begins to pull off from the bones, the pork is ready to be served.
10. Lift it onto a serving plate and pour the cooking juice into a fine sieve to strain into a saucepan.
11. Cook for several minutes until it reduces to some extent and drizzle it all over the pork shoulder.
12. Serve warm alongside fresh salad and potato dumplings.

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Last Updated on November 14, 2023 by Carleen