German Fried Potato Recipe ~  Oma's Bratkartoffeln

➤ by Oma Gerhild Fulson

Mutti had several fried potato recipes, aka Bratkartoffeln, all variations on the one listed below. Each slightly different. All delicious.

The aroma in the house was mouth-watering when she made these. For her, these were quick and easy lunch recipes. For me? I just plain loved pan fried potatoes! It's German food I LOVE!

There are so many recipes using potatoes, but this one for Bratkartoffeln is truly among the most popular. I'm showing three different ways to prepare the potatoes, before frying. The first one gives the BEST Bratkartoffeln, but the other two are mighty delicious as well. :)

3 Ways to Prepare your Potatoes ...

1. Start the day before for the best Bratkartoffeln

For the absolutely BEST Bratkartoffeln, the type you'll get in the best German restaurants, start your potatoes the day before. This method is a bit more work, but it yields the very best Bratkartoffeln. 

• Select potatoes of the same size. Scrub. Put into pot and cover with water. Add 1 tsp salt. 
• Cook until tender (check with knife inserted into potato ... should slide in easily). Depending on the size of your potatoes, may take 20 - 30 minutes.
• Drain and let cool. 
• Peel. Cover and put into fridge until the next day. 
• When ready to make Bratkartoffeln, cut into slices. Continue with recipe above.

2. Great way to use leftover potatoes

Have leftover boiled potatoes? Or, perhaps, plan to have leftovers in order to make them this way. In fact, this is the way my Mutti always made them, and the way I usually make them as well.

• Slice leftover cooked potatoes and continue with the recipe above. 

3. Start with raw potatoes

What do you do when you've got a Bratkartoffeln craving and no pre-cooked potatoes? Just use raw ones!

• Peel raw potatoes. 
• Slice. 
• Proceed as above. You'll just need to let them cook a bit longer (I cover the pan to help speed things up, removing the lid just before they are done so that they crisp up a bit.)

How to store your potatoes

Don't forget that the bag of fresh, plump delicious potatoes you just bought were once grown underground. They love being kept in cool, dark spaces. Perhaps a cool garage shelf if you have access to your own or a lower cupboard that doesn't get much bright natural light. 

Potatoes thrive underground, but, when picked, they need to avoid moisture, or they will spoil quickly. That's why it is important for them to be in a dry, dark space and in a loose bag as well. 

Do try not to make a habit of bringing your potatoes home and putting them in a sealed container or storage bin. You want your potatoes to have breathing room. The airflow will prevent moisture from getting into your potatoes, which, as mentioned above, can lead to spoiling!

You certainly wouldn't want the potatoes to spoil too quickly. This fried potato recipe is delicious, but even it can't make spoiled potatoes good again ;) So, let's take care of our hard-working farmers' potatoes and store them in a cool, dry, and dark area so they can thrive well for your fried potato dish!

Are potatoes really German? 

Oh, yes! Potatoes have been a staple in German cuisine for centuries. Did you know that the average German will eat roughly 130 -140 pounds of potatoes a year? We sure do love our potatoes!

From fried to mashed, baked, or boiled, you will see all of these and more as you venture through Germany. Potatoes have been a part of German heritage since the mid 17th century when they were introduced to the country. When you take a stroll through the markets of the more southern regions like Bavaria, you'll find loads of different varieties of potatoes as well. 

Sometimes in Canada, it can be hard to find potatoes reminiscent of what we had in Germany, simply because they offer more variety there. But there's always an alternative that's close enough and just as yummy.

It's no wonder they became so popular so quickly. You can do a lot with potatoes and make a variety of dishes, like these lecker Bratkartoffeln!

If you're a camper, make these, using raw potatoes, over a campfire. We always did when we were camping.

Just be ready to feed the rest of the campers in the campground as they come by, because they were enticed by the wonderful aroma of fried onions and potatoes wafting through the air! 

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Ready to make some Bratkartoffeln?

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