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Leberkäse

Name: Leberkäse
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb ground pork; 1 lb ground beef; 6 oz bacon, finely chopped; 1 small onion, grated; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/2 tsp ground mace; 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom; 3/4 cup ice water; Sweet mustard, pretzel rolls and potato salad, for serving

A dense, finely ground meat loaf baked until deeply golden, sliced thick, and eaten in a crusty roll with sweet mustard — Bavaria’s beloved bakery-counter staple.

⏱ 25 minPrep time

🔥 1 hr 15 minCook time

🍽 8Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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Leberkäse is Bavaria’s beloved baked meatloaf — finely ground pork and beef beaten with ice into a silky, sliceable loaf with a burnished crust. Despite the name, it usually contains neither liver nor cheese; the mystery is part of its charm.

Served warm in thick slices with sweet mustard, a pretzel roll and potato salad, it’s the snack of choice at every Bavarian market and beer garden. The crisp edges are the best part.

German recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Chill the meats, bacon and onion in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Combine everything except the ice water in a food processor and pulse to a fine paste.
With the machine running, add the ice water a splash at a time until the mixture is very smooth and sticky.
Pack the mixture firmly into a buttered 9x5-inch loaf pan, smoothing the top.
Score a shallow line down the center — the classic Leberkäse crack.
Bake at 350°F for 60–75 minutes until deeply browned and the center reaches 160°F.
Rest 10 minutes, then slice thick and serve warm with sweet mustard.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Ice-cold everything is the secret to that fine, silky texture — warm meat won't emulsify. Slice it thick; thin slices lose the juicy interior.

Recipe details

Prep25 min

Cook1 hr 15 min

Servings8

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Leberkäse

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Leberkäse

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