Oktoberfest is one of the world’s great festivals and though famed for the beer, the food is pretty great too. Whether you’re going to Munich or just want to enjoy it at home, these tips will ensure you eat well.
Fresh Roast Chicken.
Oktoberfest attendees can tuck into freshly spit-roasted chicken. The smell is as enticing as the golden brown and shining skin of these perfectly prepared birds. You can prepare a great version of this Oktoberfest treat in the comfort of your own home – and you will not even need a rotisserie. The fabulous lemon/thyme flavors will come to the fore when the chicken is prepared in the oven. Simply rub a lemon/thyme butter on the skin of the bird before oven roasting – the skin will soon display that crispy goodness of that characterizes the birds available at Oktoberfest.
Pretzels – or ‘Brezen’.
Oktoberfest would simply not be the same without copious numbers of pretzels on sale. Pretzels and beer are a match made in heaven so it is no surprise that they are so popular. Making them at home is not as complex as one might think. If you’re considering some Pretzels then find the complete instructions on Foodal and get making.
Roast Pork or ‘Schweinebraten’.
This dish has its origins in Bavaria and can be prepared from a variety of different cuts of pork. Some of the most popular cuts are loin and shoulder. The standard way this dish is prepared at Oktoberfest is by roasting smothered in onions and soaking in dark beer. A great variant to try at home uses pork tenderloin (pounded flat) which you can baste with mustard and adding plenty of diced onions.
Roasted Ham Hock or ‘Schweinshaxe’.
This has been a mainstay of beer halls across Germany for generations. The famous ham hock or ‘Pork Knuckle’ are crispy and crunchy on the outside, hiding the succulent meat on the bone. Andrew Zimmern’s has a fabulous (and easy to get right) recipe to achieve this same level of deliciousness at home.
Grilled Fish on a Stick or’Steckerlfisch’.
This is another Oktoberfest classic. This is another dish that is easy to prepare at home using fresh sardines. The recipe is simple. The fish is marinated, skewered and then placed on the grill. If the home chef wants added authenticity they can opt to quick grill trout or alternatively mackerel.
Sausages or ‘Wurstl’.
Another Bavarian favorite, these beloved sausages are easy to prepare at home. Try and get an authentic sausage from your delicatessen or butcher. These are then sauteed on a hot skillet along with apple and diced bacon. Add sauerkraut to the final presentation for that welcome acidic snap. Great German or hot mustard is an absolute must.
Potato or Flour Dumplings or ‘Knodel’.
If you are in search of that perfect comfort food at Oktoberfest look no further than these oversized, soft and delicious dumplings. Although they actually had their origins in Hungary they are now firmly part of the Oktoberfest experience. They could perhaps be compared to a rustic version of gnocchi.
Cheese Noodles or ‘Kasespatzle’.
This takes the traditional egg noodle and raises it to new heights. It adds ‘small-curd’ cottage cheese to the noodles and top the entire meal off with tangy ‘quark’. This delivers a double cheese experience that is rich in depths of flavor.
Potato Pancakes or ‘Reiberdatschi’.
You can take your choice of enjoying a sweet experience which adds apple sauce to the pancake or alternatively go savory with an accompanying salad. Many people would have experienced latkes before and the Oktoberfest pancakes are very similar. For the home chef, Andrew Zimmern’srecipe for latkes will deliver an experience that is very close to that experienced by visitors to Oktoberfest.
Sauerkraut.
If there are two tastes that must be experienced by those who are attending Oktoberfest they must be beer and sauerkraut. It accompanies a variety of meals – and is simply difficult to miss. It provides the perfect accompaniment for foods which might otherwise be too fatty. The Oktoberfest version adds apple and caraway for a delicious and fragrant indulgence.
