Bratkartoffeln: German Fries with Bacon

What are Bratkartoffeln?

German pan-fried skillet potatoes are known as Bratkartoffeln. Boiled potatoes are cut into thick slices and pan-fried with butter and bacon fats until crisp.

This is a very common dish in German-speaking areas, including Southern Germany, western Austria and parts of Switzerland.

It's a budget dinner, and it was very common, especially during the war years but also much before that already.

Farmer's in the region would prepare it and the skillet would be placed in the center of the table. The family members would then eat out of the pan with their spoons. This was still common place until the 80s.

Braten in German means to fry, and Kartofffeln is one of the words for potatoes.

This dish has many names, depending on whom you ask. Some areas call them gebratene Erdäpfel.

Back at home in Tyrol, a variation thereof, is our Tyrolean Gröstl with comes with a fried egg, and occasionally, it's also topped with alpine cheese.

Ingredients

Bratkartoffeln are prepared mainly with boiled leftover potatoes. We prepare many potato meals, and boiling some extra potatoes is common place in every household.

Therefore, I recommend preparing this dish when you have boiled potatoes that need to be used up.

• Potato — Hard waxy potatoes are better than soft mash potato types because they won't fall apart that easily when you fry them. That said, back in the day people would use whichever potato type they have.
• Onion — White or yellow onion preferred. Red or purple is ok too, but not that commonly used in the traditional version.
• Garlic Cloves — fresh, chopped
• Bacon
• Butter
• Salt & Black Pepper
• Parsley — Fresh Italian or curly parsley. We tend to use curly parsley in Germany and Austria because it's more common.

How to make it?

Step 1

If you don't have boiled potatoes, boil a batch. Peel potatoes. Cut the potatoes into thick slices.

Keep sliced onion and chopped garlic ready too.

Step 2

Sauté onion, bacon, and garlic.

Step 3

Stir in potatoes slices. Cook on all sides crispy.

Garnish with parsley.

Serving

Traditionally, we prepare this dish at least once a week in our homes back in Europe (I'm from Austria).

We serve a small side dish salad with that, and we like to add fried eggs. That's then served as a meal.

Some 4-star hotels in the alps like to add this dish to their afternoon snack time buffet meals.

Bratkartoffeln can be prepared without the addition of bacon. That way you can serve your vegetarian German fries as a side with other meals such as a Schnitzel.

I always add onions and bacon to my quick-fried potatoes because it tastes better. You can also sprinkle some grated cheese over the German potato fries.

If you want a Vegan Bratkartoffeln, then just switch the butter with vegetable oil or olive oil.

Another idea is to add fresh herbs such as parsley to top off your potato fries. A similar, and popular side dish in Austria, are the parsley butter potatoes.

Storing

You can store leftover for a few days at most in your fridge. I keep them in a glass container, which can be used and placed into the over to reheat whenever needed.

More Skillet Dinner Meal Ideas

• Sautéed Swiss Chard with Bacon
• Chorizo and Eggs
• Currywurst Recipe