Himmel und Erde

	Heaven and Earth By February “In a German winter, apples and potatoes are the last two friends still standing.”     “If you had apples in the attic and potatoes in the cellar, you could make it through anything.”       “ So When the orchards sleep and the fields freeze, Heaven and Earth meet in the kitchen.”

By February, the German winter had a way of stripping the pantry down to its truest companions. The cabbages were long gone, the onions softening at the edges, the smoked meats tucked away for Sundays.

But two ingredients always held their ground — apples in the attic and potatoes in the cellar. The last two standing. Sweetness above, earthiness below, keeping quiet watch over the household until the first hints of spring

Our ancestors were creative and could make special meals with what they had on hand

You could make a wonderful dishes with just potatoes and apples.

Himmel und Erde
Heaven and Earth

This dish is a wonderful accompaniment to dishes like smoked pork in Sauerkraut.

Where lots of folks like a sweet potato, this is an nice alternative,
and topped with caramelized onions makes it even better sweet and savory.

Alternatively you can top regular mashed potatos, with a blend of sauted onions and apples like
I did here and then some warm crisp cooked apple slicds as garnish.
You can also add a bit of bacon, ham or sausage what ever you have on hand.

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Himmel und Erde

with Step by Step Pictures

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Kassler Rippchen
German Smoked Pork Chops

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By February in the old world you pretty much left the good smoked meat like a Kassler Rippchen for a special Sunday dinner. the flavor is so good you can simmer it in sauerkraut with apples and whatever you had to fill the pot that would add great flavors and make enough to satisfy everyones tummy. The Himmel und Erde goes very well with this dish. Sometimes it is hard to find smoked pork chops at the grocers. so ham or another smoked sausage works well also. If you want you can make your own Kassler Rippchen So what does Kassler Rippchen mean? Sounds like an actor, football player or Rapper ? So who or where is Kassler? and what is a Rippchen? Kassler Rippchen is one of those dishes that is like Ham and scalloped potatoes in the U.S.

The name “Kassler” doesn’t come from the town of Kassel,
as many assume. Instead, it likely traces back to a Berlin butcher named Cassel, who in the late 1800s developed a method for preserving pork by smoking it and letting it ripen in a salt brine.

Meat spoiled easily in the old world
The process drew out moisture, prevented spoilage, and gave the meat a distinctive taste —
smoky, salty, and just a little sweet.

In the rainy wet environment of Germany in the winter, you battled spoilage so you needed
to make sure the meat lasted all winter.

Kassler is smoking meat in reverse?
Kassler RIppchen in many parts of Germany was smoked first then added to a brine,
to pull out much of the excess moisture and then it pulled in the spices and salt to help preserve it.

Over time, the technique spread, and any cut treated this way became “Kasseler”: Kasseler Rippchen (chops), Kasseler Nacken (shoulder), Kasseler Bauch (belly). It was a practical solution that became a beloved flavor.

In the rainy wet environment of Germany in the winter, you battled spoilage so you needed
to make sure the meat lasted all winter.
Kassler RIppchen in many parts of Germany was smoked first then added to a brine,
to pull out much of the excess moisture and then it pulled in the spices and salt to help preserve it.

How Kassler Differs from Traditional Ham

Most hams are cured and smoked too — so what makes Kassler special?

• Texture: Kassler is typically firmer and slightly drier than American-style ham. It’s not as soft or glazed, but has a satisfying chew.
• Saltiness: It’s less salty than traditional ham, making it more versatile in savory dishes like sauerkraut or stews.
• Smoking style: Kassler is often smoked over beechwood or alder, giving it a gentler, more aromatic flavor than the hickory or maple smoke common in American barbecue.
• Curing method: Some versions of Kassler are smoked first, then brined — a reversal of the usual ham process. Others follow the more typical wet cure followed by smoke, but with German spices like juniper, coriander, and bay leaf.

It’s a dish that carries the quiet dignity of winter — not flashy, but deeply satisfying.

Go Here to make Kassler Rippchen
Simmered in Sauerkraut

with Step by Step Pictures

and add Himmel and Erde on the side

Try your Hand at Making Your Own Kassler?

it's very doable!

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at making a smoked meat like ham or chops
and bring a little smokehouse magic into your own kitchen,
now is a great time to start!

Kassler isn’t just a dish — it’s a tradition, a technique, and a quiet nod to the way families once prepared for winter. It is a way I feel I connect with my family from many generations past.

Curing your own Kassler Rippchen is surprisingly doable, and deeply satisfying. You’ll brine the pork, let it rest, and give it a gentle smoke that fills the house with old-world aroma.
There is not a real need to smoke first and then brine, that was more for when your doing a whole hog.

It’s a way to step into the rhythm of the past — to make something that’s not just delicious, but storied. And when you serve it with Himmel und Erde, you’ll be carrying forward a legacy that’s both earthy and sweet.

Go Here to make
Kassler Rippchen or another
Kassler style meat

with
Step by Step Pictures

Stuffed Pork Chop

Stuffing a pork loin with or without the bone is easy.
Here I am using a bone in pork loin roast.

But you can use a boneless roast as well.
You just butterfly cut the loin, first cut is almost all the way down but leave it intact.
the next cut you go all the way down.

You can then stuff it with what ever you like.
This would be a late fall dish but a late winter stuffing in the old world.
Apples stayed nice all winter in the cellar and they often had dried pumpernickel on hand.
I fell in love with apple onion dressing very early in my chef career.
I was amazed at how wonderful this combination tasted.

Braided Apple Strudel

This is a fun way to make a Strudel

There’s something wonderfully old‑fashioned about this braided apple strudel—exactly the sort of thing an Oma would make on a quiet afternoon, humming to herself while the kitchen windows fog up.

She’d roll out the dough with steady hands, spoon the apple filling right down the center, and then—this is the part she always loved—cut the sides into little strips and fold them over one by one, like she’s plaiting a girl’s hair for church. Nothing rushed, nothing fancy, just simple, homey care. And when it comes out of the oven, golden and glossy, you can almost hear her say, “So. Now we have something good for the table".

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Braided Apple Strudel
with
Step by Step Directions

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