Bratkartoffeln (German Fried Potatoes)

Crispy, pan-fried Bratkartoffeln is a hearty side dish that bursts with flavor in every bite. Between the apple pan sauce, savory bacon, and fried potatoes, there is so much variety in texture and taste that you want to keep going in for bite after bite.

Bratkartoffeln is another word for German fried potatoes. This traditional German dish has a lot of variation, with some recipes including onions and peppers while others call for frying in oil. In my recipe, we’ll be frying potato slices and bacon until perfectly golden and crisp, topping it all off with an apple vinegar pan sauce.

The trick to this dish is to cut your spuds small so they don’t take too long to fry. Cubed or thinly sliced, they will crisp up beautifully in the bacon fat and soak up the pan sauce, absolutely loading up with flavor.

This side pairs tremendously well with a number of dishes. A delicious steak, like my budget-friendly Southwest Flap Steak, is always a perfect match for starchy dishes. You can also serve these fried spuds with your favorite breakfast dish! My Griddle Cakes or Savory Egg Clouds are a couple of fantastic options.

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS 

• Bacon – The grease and fat will help make the potato cubes or slices extra crispy. For perfect cuts every time, freeze the strips before attempting to slice.
• Potatoes – I use quartered red potatoes when preparing bratkartoffeln. However, you can use yellow or white variations instead. 
• Flour – This helps thicken the sauce that coats all of the ingredients. 
• Vinegar – Use apple cider vinegar for a delicious, slightly sweet apple sauce for topping. Balsamic vinegar, which is similarly sweet and tangy, can also be used as a substitute. 
• Chicken Stock – Full and rich, this stock is used to create the sauce. Alternatively, vegetable or beef stock can be used.
• Green Onions – These veggies are mild, colorful, and refreshingly crispy. We’ll use both the white and green parts of the onion in this recipe.
• Salt & Pepper – Sprinkle over the chopped potato slices and then add more to taste.

WHAT KIND OF POTATOES TO USE IN BRATKARTOFFELN

If you look at three different recipes for German fried potatoes, you might find three different potato types listed. The truth is, you can use whatever you’d like!

Red, yellow, or white — all can be used to prepare this dish. I personally like to use small reds, but you can choose based on your own preference! Red spuds are creamy, smooth, and slightly sweet. White varieties are more dense and have a thinner skin, while yellow are rich and buttery.

HOW TO MAKE BRATKARTOFFELN

1. Render the Bacon.  Cook chopped strips in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. It is important to make sure the temperature does not get too high in order to fully melt out the fat. Set aside on a paper towel to drain excess grease.
2. Fry the Potatoes.  In the same skillet, fry the potato slices or quarters in the leftover grease until golden brown and crispy on all sides. While frying, season with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Set the fried potato slices aside with the bacon.
3. Start the Sauce.  Add flour to the same skillet, cooking for a few minutes in the remaining fat. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and chicken stock, scraping to pick up the scraps still in the skillet.
4. Combine All Ingredients. Once the sauce thickens, add the green onions, bacon, and potato slices to the pan. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
5. Serve and Enjoy! Serve immediately, topping the dish with leftover green onions. Sometimes I’ll drizzle some balsamic glaze on top, too for that extra punch of flavor!

What is the best way to store bratkartoffeln? 

Allow the dish to cool to room temperature before storing. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How long does it take to fry German fried potatoes? 

It should take around 5-10 minutes to fry ¼-inch slices until perfectly golden and crispy, depending on the kind used.  

Should you boil potatoes before frying? 

Either way works! By boiling until tender, you can brown your potato slices more quickly. If you plan on boiling first, I recommend using a red variety. They are more waxy and won’t get too mushy.

This post, first published on Kevin Is Cooking Feb. 4, 2013, was last updated with new content on Jan. 27, 2022.

Bratkartoffeln (German Fried Potatoes)

Bratkartoffeln is a German fried potatoes dish with bacon and spuds in sweet apple glaze. Make this recipe for an easy, delicious side dish!

4.86 from 7 votes

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Course: side dishes

Cuisine: Melting Pot

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 489kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 lb red potatoes quartered
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 green onions sliced thin, diagonally (white and green parts)
• balsamic glaze optional

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat render the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and allow to drain on paper towel.
• Fry potatoes in bacon fat until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and set aside with bacon.
• Add flour to pan, stir and cook for a minute or two in the remaining bacon fat. Add the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth and scrape pan to pick up all the bits. Sauce will thicken.
• Add green onions, bacon and potatoes to the pan, stirring to coat all. Serve immediately. Top with more green onions if desired and or some balsamic glaze.

Notes

Cooking Tip: If your potatoes are too big, or to cut down on the cooking time when frying, I sometimes quarter the potatoes as directed and drop into boiling, salted water until fork tender. Be sure to drain and shake excess water and then add them to the frying pan to brown and get crispy in bacon fat.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 2034mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 36.9mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3.3mg

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