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There is no need to stick to burgers and dogs on the BBQ this summer.
You can do all kinds of your favorite comfort foods on the BBQ as well.
One of them is Meatloaf. It is a heartwarming, feel-good food that I do very often year around.
It is simple to make and you can dress it up in so many ways and have fun with it.
So does Meatloaf have any German roots?
Karl Dreis
from Karlsrhue, Germany
invented the meat grinder.
Although a loaf, or sausage or anything minced has been done all over the world for centuries.
The meatloaf we know today was popularized after the meat ginder was invented and had become affordable for all house holds,
Food historians will say that the roots for meatloaf came over
in 1700's in colonial times where folks like the Pennsylvania Dutch made dishes like
Scrapple and Panhas. They don't really resemble a modern day meatloaf, but more
using up scraps that couldn't be used for making sausages, and
it was simmered with oats or cornmeal till it thickened and then poured in a loaf pan
to cool. Then it was sliced and fried and mostly served for breakfast.
It is fun to know how this evolved to what it is today.
In the US unlike Germany, beef ground beef became more and more prevalent
While it didn't get in the hall of fame status in the US
until the depression, when housewives were looking for any recipe
that extended meat for dinner.
So what is the German name for Meat Loaf ?
Falscher Hase
German's have some funny names for any of their dishes
Kalter Hund, (Cold Dog) Kalte Ente (Cold Duck) Frikadelle
Spitz Buben to name a few.
Falscher Hase (False Rabbit)
ok why call it "False Rabbit"?
You have heard maybe of Welsh Rabbit, a British dish,
that has no rabbit but was basically cheese sauce over toast.
The first recording of it was in 1725.
Rabbit was a common food in Europe, they were raised either domestically or
farm raised and sold by street vendors. They were cheap protein and tasty.
Welsh Rabbit
The German's did something similar to Welsh Rabbit and called it Falscher Hase
Meaning "False Rabbit"
In American we have Mock Turtle Soup, Mocktails, Mock Crab,
City Chicken was a fake chicken leg. using pork threaded on a skewer.
Early on this was brought to the States.
An Interesting article in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania Newspaper in 1904.
For a perfect Summer dinner
we can have Falscher Hase and Kalter Hund for Dessert
Falscher Hase often has boiled eggs down the center of it.
I am not sure how that got started, but it sure extends the meat, and gives extra protien.
As time went on this style became less popular.
~~~~~~~~~~~ Depression Era
My grandma from Germany wrote down this simple recipe almost 100 years ago probably.
Back then she would haver Kaffe Klatches and shared recipes.
This sounds like a simple one, which still is used today, blending a can of onion soup with
bread crumbs and eggs.
This is about as simple as it gets.
However housewives looked for anything they could to add to the meatloaf that could extend it.
Some even used mashed beans.
Meatloaf on the BBQ
You would think this would burn, but the plank is not right under the fire. It not only cooks like in an oven, but the
glaze bakes well, sets nice and shiny and lightly browned for flavor.
Below are some recipes that I do all the time, with different glazes, stuffings, and sides.
Our German Cookbook
Our Cookbook of the Recipes and Stories
of my
German Grandma
Recipes from a German Grandma
A recipe book and short biography of my Grandmother Emma Block. Her recipes, culture and cooking styles that were brought over from Germany. How they evolved when she came to America in the early 1900s and settled in Portland, Oregon on the west coast of the United States. Over 100 recipes
...tells the story of my grandma, Emma Block, growing up in a little town in Baden/ Würtemberg, Germany near Heidelberg named Steinsfurt. Then at the age of 15 immigrating to the United States, taking a train with one of her sisters and brothers to Hamburg and sailing the Atlantic with other hope filled Germans wanting to make a life in the "New World". It was not easy but with good values learned in her German upbringing made a full life, had a wonderful family with lots of fun and celebration including the great German meals.
The sides are endless, two suggestions above, vegetable Kebab and sweet potatoes.
Vegetables on a skewer have the advantage of keeping together and cooking evenly.
The use of a skewer allows the vegetables to cook evenly and not fall through the grates.
Some other recipes with skewers is Chicken Schaschlik
This is my favorite skewer to use. They are flat and a bit wider than the round, so the food doesn't spin on you
and stays in place when moved.
Here is a link to buy Norpro 11.5 inch Flat Skewers
Another variation is to put boiled eggs down the center.
This was popular
in the 1800's in Germany called Falscher Hase
There was a time when it was popular to serve roasted rabbit (Hare) for a Sunday dinner.
There was a time that rabbits became scarce, but so as not to dissapoint
they would fashion a
rabbit out of ground meat,
and decorate it to look like a rabbit.
Rabbit and eggs is a thing for Easter but it also was nice all year around in a meatloaf.
They called it
"Falscher Hare"
Ground meat was plentiful especially in the winter when
the pork and beef were processed.
Meatloaf served chilled and served with a sauce like horseradish sauce or curry catsup dressing,
and fresh garnishes, and of course a little bread.
Another Cold Meatloaf Plate, to make your own sandwich if you want.
Semmelknoedel is a popular dumpling in Germany, and a good way to use left over bread.
This recipe uses the Semmelknodel as a stuffing in a basic meatloaf recipe.
The bacon and cheddar really bump this up to a German-American Meatloaf.
Mini Meatloaves in small containers or muffin tins lets you put different toppings on them and stuffings.
Creamed Spinach is a great side that goes well with meatloaf as well as grilled apples.
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German Music
Through modern technology we can enjoy music from Germany at the touch of your computer, there are many venues now, Pandora, Amazon music, and Youtube is free.
I love my noise canceling headphones that are completely wireless and give incredible sound!
Die Wildecker Herzbuben - Die Fischerin vom Bodensee
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Karin Elliot born and raised in Germany
is a chef and wonderful friend giving me encouragement through the years here and donated her recipes for our newsletter. She also does wonderful volunteer work like providing meals for school children in need in Tuscon, Arizona.
Many German-Americans and German immigrants are interested in Native American items from books and movies to jewelry and arts and craft supplies. Karin will take care of you personally with her online store Native Rainbows
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