Knipp
intro
Hearty Northern German grain and pork sausage, pan-fried until crispy, served classically with potatoes and pickles for a cozy, rustic family meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Simmer the pork base
Place 500g cubed pork shoulder, 200g trimmed pork liver, 1 bay leaf, and 500ml pork broth in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 40 minutes until the pork is fork-tender, skimming any foam that rises to the surface every 10 minutes.
Sauté onions and oats
While the pork simmers, heat 1 teaspoon of lard in a small skillet over medium heat. Add 200g finely diced onion, sauté for 5 minutes until soft and translucent with no browning. Stir in 150g rolled oats, toast for 2 minutes until lightly fragrant, then add 120ml of hot simmering broth ladled from the pork pot, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until oats absorb all liquid and are tender.
Grind the cooked meats
Once the pork and liver are fully tender, remove and discard the bay leaf from the stockpot. Use a slotted spoon to transfer all cooked meat to a meat grinder fitted with a 4mm fine plate, and grind the meat into a large mixing bowl. If no meat grinder is available, pulse the meat in a food processor in 3-second bursts until finely minced, taking great care not to blend it into a smooth paste.
Combine and season Knipp
Add the cooked oat and onion mixture to the bowl with ground meat. Add 1.5 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp dried marjoram, 0.5 tsp ground allspice, and 0.25 tsp grated nutmeg. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes until all ingredients are evenly combined, adding 2-3 tablespoons of remaining reserved pork broth as needed to create a firm, moldable texture that holds its shape when pressed.
Chill the Knipp loaf
Line a 9x5 inch (23x13cm) loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving 3 inches of overhang on all sides. Transfer the Knipp mixture into the pan, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon to eliminate air gaps and create a smooth, even top. Fold the plastic overhang over the top to cover completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days) until the loaf is fully firm and sliceable.
Pan-fry Knipp slices
Remove the chilled Knipp loaf from the pan, unwrap, and cut into 1.5cm (1/2 inch) thick slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of pork lard in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add Knipp slices and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until the exterior is deep golden brown and crispy, and the interior is heated through to 74°C (165°F).
Tips
2.For an authentic Northern German serving, pair pan-fried Knipp with boiled Yukon Gold potatoes, tangy dill pickles, and a dollop of sharp whole-grain mustard.
3.The uncut, tightly wrapped Knipp loaf will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so you can slice and fry small portions for quick, satisfying meals throughout the week.
OMG I’ve been looking for a proper knipp recipe ever since my Oma passed and I lost her handwritten card! This tasted exactly like the pan-fried slices she’d serve with applesauce and boiled potatoes at our Sunday family dinners. I was worried the 2 hour chill time would be a pain but it’s 100% worth it — the slices held together perfectly when I fried them crispy. SO good, my kids even asked for seconds! Game changer for our fall meal rotation.
Made a double batch of this on Sunday for meal prep and it held up all week in the fridge! Sliced it thick, pan fried it up each morning to go with eggs and toast, super filling and way more flavorful than regular breakfast sausage. Don’t skip the chilling step, trust me — I tried frying a test chunk right after cooking the base and it completely fell apart in the pan. Worth planning ahead for!
Tried this for a neighborhood potluck last weekend and got so many questions about what it was! I will say it took me a little longer than 90 minutes active time because I had to track down the steel cut oats and pork liver from my local butcher, but everyone raved. Gave it 4 stars only because I wish there was a note about what consistency to cook the base to before pouring it into the loaf pan to chill — mine was a little looser than I expected but it still set up fine!
Y’all, I was skeptical about a meat and oat loaf but this slapped. Pan fried the slices in bacon grease until the edges were super crunchy, served it with fried eggs and sautéed kale. 10/10, will be making this at least once a month now. Who knew German comfort food was this easy to nail at home?
I thought medium difficulty would be too much for me on a weeknight, but I split the work! Cooked the knipp base on Monday night, let it chill in the fridge overnight, then sliced and fried it up for dinner on Tuesday. Served with roasted brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes, my whole family cleaned their plates. Even my super picky 7 year old ate it, which is a miracle. 5 stars all the way.
Wait, quick question — can I make this without the pork liver? I really don’t care for the taste of liver and I’m wondering if the recipe will still hold up if I swap it for extra ground pork? I love the idea of this dish but liver is a hard pass for my household.
Made this for our Oktoberfest party last weekend and it was the star of the spread! Served it sliced thin on little rye bread toasts with whole grain mustard and cornichons, people went back for thirds. Only thing I messed up was I only let it chill for an hour and a half because I was crunched for time, so a few slices fell apart when I fried them. Definitely plan for the full 2 hours, lesson learned!
I grew up eating something super similar to this at an old German diner in my hometown that closed down when I was a teen, and this tastes identical! Crispy edges, savory, herby, that little bit of grainy texture from the oats — it’s pure nostalgia. I served mine with brown gravy like the diner used to, 10/10 no notes.
This is such an affordable meal to make for a crowd! I got all the ingredients for under $12, and it fed 4 adults with leftovers. Way cheaper than takeout, and way more flavorful. I’ll be adding this to my regular rotation of cheap, filling weeknight meals for sure. Pro tip: a dash of apple cider vinegar on top cuts the richness perfectly.
Is there a way to make this gluten free? Wait, looking at the ingredients it seems like it already is! The steel cut oats are naturally GF, right? I just want to double check before I make it for my sister who has celiac, I don’t want to accidentally get her sick.
Has anyone tried freezing this after it chills? I want to make a few loaves to pull out on busy nights, but I’m worried the texture will get weird if I freeze and thaw it before slicing and frying. Any tips?
I added a little extra smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne to my batch to give it a tiny kick, and it was chef’s kiss. The base recipe is really solid, it takes added flavors really well if you like to experiment. Pan fried mine until the edges were almost burnt (in the best way) and served with hot honey on top. Don’t @ me, the sweet spicy combo is unreal.
Made this for my husband last night who is 100% German and was complaining he hasn’t had proper knipp since he visited his grandma in Hamburg last year. He took one bite and said it tasted exactly like his Oma’s! I was so proud, I thought for sure I’d mess it up since I’d never even heard of knipp before last week. Total win for our weekly date night in.
I was really nervous about the oat texture because I hate mushy oats, but I decided to give this a shot anyway and I’m so glad I did! When you fry the slices crispy, the oats get that little chewy-crunchy texture that’s so good, no mush at all. I will say, I wish the recipe noted how long to fry each side for — I kept second guessing if it was done since the inside is already cooked! I did 4 minutes per side on medium heat and that worked for me.
I grated a carrot and a small apple into the base when I was cooking it to sneak some extra veggies in for my kids, and no one noticed! It added a tiny hint of sweetness that went so well with the savory herbs, even my husband who hates ‘hidden veggies’ went back for a second slice. Will definitely be doing that every time I make this from now on.
Made this on my cast iron skillet over the campfire last weekend! Pre-made the loaf at home, kept it in the cooler, then sliced and fried it up over the fire for breakfast with eggs and campfire potatoes. Absolute hit with my camping crew, everyone was asking for the recipe. Way better than boring breakfast links for a camp meal.
Wait, is this supposed to be soft in the middle when you fry it? I cooked the slices until the outside was super crispy but the inside was still soft, not dry like a regular sausage patty. I got worried I didn’t chill it long enough so I threw a few slices back in the pan but they got too crispy and burnt on the edges. Did I do something wrong?
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and it was gone in 10 minutes! I set it out with little picks, a bowl of whole grain mustard, and a bowl of applesauce for dipping, and people were raving. A few people said they’d never had German food before and they were obsessed. 10/10, this is my new go-to dish to bring to events because it’s unique, tasty, and travels so well once it’s chilled.
Wait, before anyone asks — I tried reheating leftover slices in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 6 minutes, and they got even crispier than pan frying! Game changer for leftovers, no greasy pan to clean up, perfect crunch every time. 10/10 recipe, 10/10 air fryer reheat method.