German Schwenkbraten (Pork Steak Barbecue) Recipe

By
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin learned to cook German food while living in Germany for 11 years and has worked in the food industry for many years.
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Updated on 05/22/22
Pork steak grilling

thelinke/Getty Images 

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Marinating Time: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
809 Calories
66g Fat
6g Carbs
48g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 809
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 66g 84%
Saturated Fat 17g 86%
Cholesterol 180mg 60%
Sodium 172mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 48g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 75mg 6%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 772mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Developed in Saarland (Southwest Germany, borders France) and adopted all over Germany where regulations allow, the "Schwenker" is a pork steak marinated for at least 24 hours and grilled over a wood fire. The "Schwenker" is also the person who does the "schwenken" (swinging), as the grill swings gently over a wood fire using a metal tripod.

This takes 20 minutes to put together and an 8 to 24 hour marinade time, plus 20 minutes to grill.

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 pounds (2 kilograms) pork shoulder

  • 1 cup oil

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons spicy mustard

  • 2 teaspoons paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 8 juniper berries, crushed

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 3 to 4 onions, sliced

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. If you cannot find pork steaks already cut, buy a whole pork shoulder roast (or similar roast), debone it, and cut the meat crosswise, 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick to make steaks.

  3. Mix the oil with the garlic, mustard and the rest of the spices in a large bowl.

  4. Add the steaks and the onions and turn to coat.

  5. Layer all the meat and the onions in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, mixing a few times to redistribute the oil.

  6. Place schnitzel (without onions) in a single layer over direct heat, salt (a little) and grill for 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Tips

  • You may want to put it all in a plastic zip bag after mixing, expel all the air, and close it tight. To stir, flip the bag over. This also travels well to a grill site.
  • Remove meat from the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before grilling (to take the chill off). Place schnitzel (without onions) in a single layer over direct heat, salt (a little) and grill for 8 to 10 minutes per side.
  • Traditionally, these are grilled over beechwood fires. You may also use charcoal or gas.

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