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by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.
Published: March 22, 2016, Updated: July 1, 2025
This German-style peameal bacon roast with sauerkraut is my favorite hands-off slow cooker meal ... simple, hearty, and wunderbar.
This slow cooker version comes from my dear friend Heidi ... her clever way of recreating the flavor of Kasseler, that smoky German pork we rarely had growing up. It was a real treat when Mutti served it, usually saved for special guests because it was hard to find and pricey ... especially up north in Ontario where German delis were few and far between.
Heidi’s recipe uses a simple peameal bacon roast instead, and let me tell you, it’s a brilliant stand-in. Same wonderful flavor, a fraction of the cost, and made right in the slow cooker. Perfect for turning an ordinary night into something wunderbar.
Like my Mutti, I kept Kasseler as a special treat ... something for holidays or when it went on sale (which wasn’t often).
So imagine my surprise when I popped by my friend Heidi’s house one ordinary weeknight ... and she was serving Kasseler for supper! Or so I thought.
Turns out, she had a clever trick up her sleeve. Instead of splurging at the deli, she used a Canadian peameal bacon roast and let it simmer in the slow cooker. The result? That same wonderful flavor I remembered from my childhood ... and maybe even better. At least, that’s what my husband said after his first bite!
It really couldn’t be simpler. I just rinse the cornmeal coating off the peameal roast, pop it into the slow cooker, pour in a jar (or two) of sauerkraut and add apples and onion slices. Then I turn it on and let it do its thing until supper. Just before serving, I thicken the juices with a quick cornstarch slurry ... easy and fuss-free.
Served with boiled or mashed potatoes, this is pure comfort food for me and my hubby. A spoonful of German mustard on the side? Even better. So lecker
Even though this site is all about quick German meals, the slow cooker earns its place. It might not be common in German kitchens, but once we moved to Canada, it quickly became Mutti’s favorite appliance. She used it all the time!
In fact, she even adapted her beloved sauerbraten for the slow cooker. And I followed in her footsteps ... my slow cooker roast beef has all the rich flavor of traditional rouladen, without the extra fuss.
Once everything’s in the pot in the morning, just turn it on and carry on with your day ... work, errands, or something fun. By the time you walk back through the door, dinner’s ready and waiting with hardly any effort left. Now that’s my kind of cooking!
Can’t find peameal bacon? No need to give up on this cozy slow cooker meal. You can still enjoy it with a couple of delicious substitutes ... just with slightly different flavors.
If you come across kasseler (also spelled kassler), don’t pass it by! This German specialty is cured and smoked pork, usually from the loin, though sometimes from the neck or shoulder. It’s a bit like ham ... but leaner, lightly smoky, and fully cooked. Just slice and warm it up.
If kasseler and peameal bacon are both hard to find, a boneless pork loin roast is a great option.
All three turn out beautifully using the same slow cooker base of sauerkraut, apple, and onion. You just pick your pork, plug in the slow cooker, and let the gemütlichkeit simmer.
This German-style peameal bacon roast with sauerkraut is my favorite hands-off slow cooker meal ... simple, hearty, and wunderbar
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
8 hours
Total Time:
8 hours 10 minutes
Servings:
Makes 6 to 8 servings
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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Recipe updated on July 1, 2025
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