Rhineland Potato Specialty Kesselsknall

5 lbs. potatoes, floury potatoes are better than the waxy ones
4 onions, chopped, some chopped garlic (if you like)
5-6 slices German smoked bacon (Speck), chopped
some cooking oil to fry the onions
some lard (optional), use clarified butter instead
4 sausages, slice them or leave as whole (in Germany we use Mettwurst)
2 eggs
salt and pepper, ground nutmeg to taste
1 jar apple sauce


– Peel potatoes
– With a grater grind the potatoes and onions.
– Add garlic if you use it.
– If the potato mix should turn brown, just stir it again or add some lemon juice.

– Now you must add salt and pepper (not later because the potatoes wont take up the salt anymore). Calculate 1 teaspoon salt for 1kg potato.

– Adding eggs: The dish will become more mushy when adding NO eggs. You would add eggs if you want the dish dry. Mix in the eggs with 2 tablespoons of flour.

– Use a fire proof high sided pan with a lid like a dutch oven. Rinse it with hot water, don’t use dish soap.

– Rub the inside of the form with lard, add a bit of oil. Alternatively you can layer the inside of the pot with the Speck (bacon).

– Place the sausages in the middle, or mix in the sliced sausages.

– Cook for 1-1.5 hours in the oven (180 degrees or 360 F); increase the temperature a bit for the last 15 minutes to get a nice crust.

– Serve with apple sauce or with a mixed green salad – endive salad would be a good choice.