My authentic German Meatloaf recipe
Today, I’m excited to share my experience with a traditional German Meatloaf recipe called “Falscher Hase,” which translates to “Fake Rabbit.” As a lover of German cuisine, I couldn’t resist trying out this dish, and I’m thrilled to say that it was a delightful experience.
What's the origin of the German Meatloaf?
Falscher Hase is a type of meatloaf that’s made with ground beef or pork, onions, eggs, bread crumbs, and a variety of herbs and spices, wrapped around a boiled egg and covered with bacon to prevent it from drying out. Falscher Hase came into prominence after World War II when meat was still scarce but German housewives wanted to put a special dish on the Sunday table. The name comes from the fact that the meatloaf is shaped like a rabbit, but it contains no rabbit meat.
How to prepare German Meatloaf?
To prepare this dish, I started by sautéing some onions in butter until they were translucent. Then, I mixed the ground beef with the onions, eggs, bread crumbs, and herbs, and formed it around boiled eggs into the shape of a rabbit. I then covered it with bacon and baked it in the oven for about an hour until it was golden brown and cooked through.
The result was a hearty and flavorful dish that was perfect for a chilly winter evening. The meatloaf was moist and tender, and the combination of herbs and spices added a delicious complexity to the dish. I served it with a side of roasted potatoes and green beans, which complemented the flavors perfectly.
How can I make variations of my meatloaf?
One of the things I loved about Falscher Hase was how versatile it is. You can use different meats and spices to create your own unique version of the dish. I like to add a hard-boiled egg to the center of the meatloaf, which creates a fun surprise when you cut into it. The German meatloaf taste best with Country-style Pan Fried Potatoes, please find my recipe here.
Summary
Overall, I highly recommend giving Falscher Hase a try if you’re a fan of German cuisine or if you’re looking for a new and exciting comfort food dish to try. It’s easy to prepare, and the flavors are sure to impress. So, go ahead and give it a try, and let me know what you think!
German Meatloaf - Falscher Hase
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground beef not too lean or mixed with ground pork
- 1 medium Onion finely chopped
- 2 large Egg
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- 1 cup Bread crumbs
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Black pepper
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley finely chopped
- 3 Hard boiled eggs peeled
- 4 strips Bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Sauté finely chopped onions in butter until soft. Let the onions cool down.1 medium Onion, 1 tbsp. Butter
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, black pepper and parsley.1 lb. Ground beef, 1 medium Onion, 2 large Egg, 1 cup Bread crumbs, ½ tsp. Salt, ½ tsp. Black pepper, 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley
- Knead the mixture with your hands until everything is evenly combined.
- Sprinkle some breadcrumbs on a cutting board and flatten the meat mixture into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.
- Arrange the whole, hard-cooked eggs in a row down the middle. Fold the sides of the meat patty over the eggs. Form the meat into a nice, free-form loaf shape. Coat liberally with breadcrumbs.3 Hard boiled eggs
- Let the meat loaf rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Lay the strips of bacon over the meatloaf, and bake the meatloaf for about 45 minutes, until fully cooked through and no longer pink in the center.4 strips Bacon
- Remove meatloaf to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil and keep warm. Let the Falscher Hase rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
