Saumagen – Traditional Palatine Saumagen

Preparation

1. 01

   Clean and trim

   Rinse the pork stomach thoroughly under cold running water, inside and out. Rub with coarse salt and flour, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse again. Scald inside and out with boiling water to neutralize any odor. Set aside.

2. 02

   Simmer on low heat

   Place the pork shoulder, pork belly, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic in a large pot. Cover with water (approx. 3–4 liters). Add the bay leaves, allspice berries, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low for 90 minutes, until the meat is very tender.

3. 03

   Remove and crush

   Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and let it cool slightly. Remove the potatoes as well and roughly crush them with a fork (do not purée). Drain the carrots, onions, and garlic and set aside. Reserve the broth.

4. 04

   Chop and combine

   Finely shred the cooked meat with a fork or pass it through a meat grinder (medium plate). Combine with the crushed potatoes, carrots (finely diced), onions, and garlic in a large bowl.

5. 05

   Season and bind

   Fold the marjoram, grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the mixture. Add 2–3 ladles of the warm broth as needed, until the mixture is smooth but not too moist. The mixture should be easily moldable.

6. 06

   Fill and tie

   Tie one opening of the prepared pork stomach with kitchen twine. Fill the meat-and-potato mixture into the stomach in portions, using your hands or a spoon, pressing firmly to avoid air pockets. Do not overfill the stomach – it will expand during cooking. Tie the open end tightly with kitchen twine.

7. 07

   Slow cook on low heat

   Place the filled stomach in the reserved broth (or in fresh water with a little salt). Cook slowly on low heat (approx. 85–90 °C, the water must not boil vigorously) for 2,5 hours. Turn the stomach occasionally.

8. 08

   Cool and press

   Remove the Saumagen from the broth, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and weigh it down with a weight (e.g., a cutting board with a heavy pan on top). Let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight, to chill through.

9. 09

   Slice and pan-fry

   Remove the cooled Saumagen from the towel, remove the twine, and slice into pieces approximately 1,5 cm thick. Pan-fry the slices in a little clarified butter over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Serve with sauerkraut, bread, or mashed potatoes.