CarneAtlas

Kassler

Pork · Loin
SmokeCure

Kassler is known in English as Back bacon.

Raw Kassler — Pork Loin cut

Germany's iconic cured-and-smoked pork loin or chop. The pork loin (rib end or boneless centre) is brine-cured, then lightly cold-smoked, leaving a pink interior and a smoky, salt-cured exterior. Sold as either *Kassler Lachs* (boneless loin), *Kassler Kotelett* (bone-in chop), or *Kassler Nacken* (collar). Reheated rather than fully cooked from raw — typically poached or pan-finished — and served with sauerkraut and potatoes, or as the centerpiece of a Mitteleuropean smoked-meat platter. Sometimes spelled *Kasseler*; both spellings are accepted in modern German usage.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesKasslerGerman loanword on US deli counters; sometimes "smoked pork loin" generically.
🇬🇧United KingdomKassler
🇫🇷FranceKassler
🇮🇹ItalyKassler
🇩🇪GermanyKasslerprimaryAlso spelled "Kasseler"; the brine-cured, cold-smoked pork loin.
HeadBladeArm ShoulderLoinLegRibsBellyHock

Classic recipe

Kassler with Sauerkraut and Boiled Potatoes25 min

Brined and lightly smoked pork loin — a Berlin invention from the late 19th century. Pan-fried until the surface caramel…

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Steak searing in a cast-iron skillet beside an unbranded knife

$$ · everyday prep, trimming, and carving

Slice against the grain cleanly every time

Slicing steak, trimming small amounts of fat, chopping aromatics, and general kitchen work.

Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife

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