Oma shows How to Cook Kale – Grünkohl

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.

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Kale served with some fried eggs. Add potatoes on the side, and you've traditional German dinner.

Below you'll see how to cook kale, turning it into traditional German dishes that are both hearty and healthy. Kale, aka Grünkohl, is a hearty side dish for many German dinners.

It has an earthy taste that goes great with other hearty dishes. It just needs to be cooked properly!

It's great if you buy it canned or jarred. It's so easy to prepare then. If you have fresh kale, check below how to prepare and cook it. If it's not done properly, kale has a tendency to be tough and bitter. 

Since kale is such a nutritious and healthy vegetable, it's great to be able to cook it so the whole family will enjoy it. Shown above, it's served alongside some fried eggs. 

Below, I've made Kale Mash: cooked kale mixed with mashed potatoes. A super easy way to make a quick dinner and one that even the kids love.

Kale Mash -- super yummy!

Kale Trivia

• Kale has large stringy, curly leaves with a strong earthy taste and odor
• Kale tastes best after frost has hit the leaves, taste sweeting and more flavorful
• In northern Germany, "kale tours" are popular winter events for social clubs with meals of kale, Pinkel sausage, and kassler being served
• Kale is a great source of vitamin K, C, A, B6 and E, manganese; fiber, copper, tryptophan, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and omega 3 fats!
• Some varieties of kale can grow 6 - 7 feet high!

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Kale is often served alongside hearty meals. Sausage is a favorite, as is pork roast, as shown below. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, this makes a hearty dinner!

Traditional kale with bacon

Ready to cook some Kale?

Print Recipe

Oma Shows How to Cook Kale – Grünkohl

 Kale, aka Grünkohl, is a hearty side dish for many German dinners. It has an earthy taste that goes great with other hearty dishes. It just needs to be cooked properly!

It's great if you buy it canned or jarred. It's so easy to prepare then. If you have fresh kale, here's how to cook it.

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Cook Time:

1 hour

Total Time:

1 hour 20 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 pounds fresh kale
• ⅓ cup lard, goose fat, or butter
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ pound bacon, diced
• salt to taste
• l pound sausage, smoked and pierced with a fork in several places (optional)
• 1 tablespoon rolled oats or cornstarch (to thicken)

Instructions:

1. Wash kale leaves well. Trim stalks and ribs from leaves.
2. Blanche by immersing leaves briefly in boiling water. Then, drain well.
3. Finely chop blanched kale. 
4. Melt lard, goose fat, or butter in a large saucepan.
5. Add onion and saute lightly. Add bacon and fry briefly.
6. Add kale, about ½ teaspoon salt, a little water and sausage (if using)
7. Cover and cook on low heat about 1 hour for a traditional texture. Cook for shorter time if you prefer. Make sure it doesn't dry out - add more water as needed. Cook until kale is tender as you like. 
8. Thicken cooking liquid by adding rolled oats (the traditional way) or dissolve cornstarch in a bit of water and add enough to thicken, stirring constantly.
9. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. 

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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to your table

Complete your set today - order now!

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.