An authentic recipe for German pork roast, Senfbraten, made the traditional way with an irresistibly delicious mustard gravy!
Another quintessential German dish, Senfbraten is a traditional and popular pork roast served throughout Germany. Â A deliciously rich gravy flavored with mustard, this authentic dish comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
I come from a musical family and my husband and I are both musicians. Â I’m fortunate to have married someone who loves as wide a range of music as I do. Â And naturally our children are regularly exposed to music spanning the entire spectrum (with a few exceptions).
I’m also fortunate to have kids who don’t mind riding in the car.  We enjoy talking, listening to music and singing along.  Lately my kids have been taking a more active role in requesting what we listen to and those songs are always rotating, with a few favorites they also come back to.  The four recent most-requested songs of my just-turned 4 year-old son, Liam, are as follows:  Manhattan Transfer’s (one of my faves) version of the 40’s classic “Choo-choo Ch’ Boogie” (trains!  that one’s obvious), Foreigner’s “Say You Will” (not sure why he’s singled that one out, but I won’t argue with it – it’s an awesome song), a boogie-woogie version of the traditional kids’ ABC song (that’s a no-brainer – what’s there not to love about the alphabet?), and Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus”, which he has a difficult time pronouncing and refers to as “de gas, de gas!”  Again, not sure why that particular song, but I won’t argue that one either – another classic 80’s song that is particularly unique,  about a classical composer (some educational value?), and it’s in German (when I’m too lazy to speak German to my kids I let Falco take over).  Three checks.
And so the other day in the car, 5 minutes from home, Liam requests “de gas” and I so I find it on my ipod and turn it on. Â While he’s in the backseat doing his classic Stevie Wonder impression (eyes clenched shut, grinning, and rocking his head back and forth to the music while my almost 2 year-old blonde pig-tailed Emily is bouncing in her seat), I’m trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Â The conclusion: Â Senfbraten. Â What does Senfbraten have to do with Falco or Amadeus? Â Well, it’s an established fact that Mozart was eating Senfbraten while composing his triumphant Marriage of Figaro.
Okay, not really. Â But he may as well have. Â Senfbraten is every bit as pleasing to the palate as the composition is to the ears.
So while you’re making this Senfbraten, turn up Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” and have a blast.  (Here, I’ll even provide the link to the YouTube video)  It’s in German, it’s educational (it is, right?), and it’ll help you get your groove on while you’re browning that roast.
And you’ll never be able to eat Senfbraten again without thinking of Falco. Â You’re welcome.
Let’s get started!
Give the pork roast a good sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper and generously slather it down on all sides with yellow mustard. Â If you have access to German mustard, it’s the best. Â It has a much different flavor than American mustard and, in my opinion, is much better.
There are several different brands of German mustard – all good – but the one that I use most often and really like is the Alstertor Düsseldorf Style Mustard (click link for convenient access on Amazon).
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Â Make sure it’s good and hot before you add the roast. Â Generously brown the roast on all sides. Â This will give the roast and the gravy its magnificent flavor.
Add the onions and butter and fry for a couple of minutes. Â Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the white wine and boil for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated, deglazing the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Â Add the bay leaf and the thyme.
Add the stock and a few carrots (they’ll add a touch of sweetness to the gravy). Â Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for at least 90 minutes or until the roast is nice and tender.
Alternatively roast it in the oven for about 3 hours if using a marbled cut like pork butt and for about 2 hours if using pork loin or pork shoulder. Check periodically for doneness – as soon as the roast is tender – to avoid overcooking.
Discard the carrots and the bay leaf. Â Make the flour slurry to thicken the gravy.
Transfer the roast to a warmed plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Â While whisking constantly, gradually pour the flour slurry into the gravy and simmer until thickened. Â Add a couple of teaspoons or so of mustard and more salt and pepper to taste.
Slice the roast and serve with the gravy.  Traditionally served with boiled potatoes and sauerkraut.  German sauerkraut is completely different tasting than American sauerkraut (if all you’ve ever had is American sauerkraut and you hate it, I can’t blame you).  The brand of sauerkraut I use most often is Kühne Sauerkraut (click link for convenient access on Amazon).
Also traditional is to serve it with Semmelknödel (German Bread Dumplings:
…as well as Spätzle:
© Corinna Gissemann | Dreamstime
Traditional German Senfbraten (Mustard Pork Roast)
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork roast (e.g. pork loin)
- German mustard
- Oil for frying
- 1 large yellow onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 carrots , cut in half
- For the flour slurry:
- 3 tablespoons flour whisked into additional 1/2 cup cool beef broth
Instructions
- Rub the roast down with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Generously rub it down with German mustard.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Once hot, add the roast and generously brown on all sides. This will give the roast its wonderful flavor.
- Add the onions and the butter and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the white wine and boil for 3 minutes until mostly evaporated.
- Add the bay leaf, thyme, beef broth and carrots (they will add a touch of sweetness to the gravy). Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 90 minutes or until the roast is nice and tender. (Alternatively roast it in the oven for about 3 hours if using a marbled cut like pork butt and for about 2 hours if using pork loin or pork shoulder. Check periodically for doneness - as soon as the roast is tender - to avoid overcooking.)
- Discard the carrots and bay leaf. Transfer to the roast to a warmed platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Whisk in the flour slurry and simmer until thickened. Add a couple of teaspoons or so of mustard and salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice the roast and serve with the gravy, potatoes and German sauerkraut.
Nutrition
Laura Fronapfel says
This recipe is so delicious. My German Husband and family have demanded it as their main course for this Thanksgiving meal…and I only just made this two weeks ago…THATS HOW GOOD IT IS!
Sidenote: I made a cranberry/apple chutney to go on top and it really made the whole dish pop!
Kimberly Killebrew says
That’s so wonderful, Laura, a compliment indeed, thank you very much for the feedback!
Mary B. Mayrosh says
I am little upset. I posted a comment yesterday , and you deleted it and did not post it.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Hi Mary, your comment wasn’t deleted. All comments are moderated and it sometimes takes me a day or two to get to all of them.
Mary B. Mayrosh says
The Recipe was fantastic. I used a pork 7.5 lb pork butt and cooked it in the oven for 3.75 hours. I needed more gravy so I ground the carrots with additional mustard and white wine and beef broth and flour.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you so much, Mary, I’m thrilled you that enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback!
Kathleen says
Hi! First, I love your newsletter and recipes! Thank you for sharing them. I read your recent letter today and made this recipe tonight using 2 large tenderloins. It was absolutely Excellent and so easy to make, but with an amazing flavor and texture qs if had been slow-cooked for hours! My picky husband loved it and asked to have it again. Thank you!
Kimberly Killebrew says
Oh that’s so wonderful, Kathleen, I’m absolutely thrilled that you both enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the compliment and for your support! <3
Don says
This pork dish is delicious. My wife and I nearly finished four servings in one sitting. In other words, we stuffed ourselves. Used a widely available brand of Dijon mustard, Grey Poupon, since German mustard was not at hand. This Dijon mustard tastes slightly less sweet than the German brand of spicy mustard with which I’m familiar. I don’t recall the German brand, only that it comes in small glass mugs. If you know this German brand, please, would you mind saying whether it is one that you recommend for this dish and why or why not?
Kimberly Killebrew says
That’s wonderful, Don, I’m so happy you both enjoyed it, thank you! Yes, that’s the same German mustard I use. The brand is Alstertor. You can find it here on Amazon.
Don says
This recipe looks terrific, and I plan to cook the dish tomorrow. However, this comment is not specific to this recipe. I have two cookbooks for German recipes, but search the Internet when not finding a recipe incorporating the primary ingredient that I happen to have on hand, for example, a cut of meat. Nearly every time, my search ends with a recipe on your website. They have yet to disappoint. Sie sind lecker und ausgezeichnet. Vielen dank.
Hope to return soon to Germany, having left there many, many years ago. Memories of food in Germany, especially the region where I lived (Franconia), are a reason for my desire to go back. Cooking German dishes are a way of reviving memories of a time that I fondly look on.
Kimberly Killebrew says
I’m super happy to hear that, Don, and thrilled that you’ve enjoyed the recipes you’ve tried – thank you! I couldn’t agree with you more, memories and food go hand in hand and I’m glad that yours are fond ones. Happy Cooking and Guten Appetit! :)
KC says
Sounds great!! Do I have to throw away the carrots??
Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Nope, I eat them on the side :)
Eveline says
I have a 7lb pork butt bone in. How long should I bake it on the oven and at what temp., please
Richard Kennedy says
I’m sure it’s not traditionally German but I serve my Senfbraten with either baby red or yellow potatoes that I steam soften, smash flat, and then fry with onions or with fried hash browns and onion. The gravy atop the fried potatoes and onion is addicting.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
As delicious as though potatoes are I wouldn’t even care if they’re not traditional, lol! :) Thanks for the feedback, Richard!
J Zimm says
Two questions. Can you use sweet Bavarian mustard instead? Can you sub dill for thyme? Looking forward to making for main dish of a German wine tasting dinner.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi J Zimm, do you mean Bavarian mustard as in the sweet whole grain mustard that’s served with Weisswurst? If that’s what you’re referring to, no, that would not be a good substitute. You really need yellow mustard for Senfbraten. Dill will greatly change the flavor profile but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Anonymous says
Could I make this with a pork tenderloin?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes you can but tenderloin is very lean so you’ll want to reduce cooking time or the roast will be dry.
RickO says
Awesome dish! Definitely a family favorite. I modified it in that I cooked the pork loin on the stove-top in my Dutch oven. The cook time after everything was in the pot was only about 35 minutes. Note that this is the higher tier pork loin that comes in a cryo-packed twin pack.
Next time I may try a pork butt or something else with more marbling. It is just so easy to overcook pork loin.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, RickO, I’m so glad it was a family hit, thank you!
Brad says
Should this be a pork loin roast (I feel like 3 hours at 325 would dry that out) or a shoulder roast?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Brad, I added a note for clarification – at 325 degrees F you’ll roast it in the oven for about 3 hours if using a marbled cut like pork butt and for about 2 hours if using a pork loin or pork shoulder. Check periodically for doneness – as soon as the roast is tender – to avoid overcooking.
BK says
Who knew that flavor was mustard — didn’t know that — gravy was divine! You are the best!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad you enjoyed it, BK, thank you!
Judy Rafanelli says
My husband and I have become huge fans of this dish. I’ve probably made it about four times in the last four months at his request. Best pork roast I’ve made yet. Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Judy, thank you so much!