Hackbraten

Name: Hackbraten
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Liechtensteiner
Ingredients: 750g ground beef; 2 stale bread rolls, soaked in milk; 2 eggs; 1 large onion, finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tsp dried marjoram; 1 tsp mustard; Salt and pepper; 2 tbsp butter; 500ml beef broth; 2 tbsp flour for gravy

Hackbraten (HAHK-brah-ten)

Beef Meatloaf

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour 15 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 452 kcal

A rustic alpine meatloaf made from seasoned ground beef mixed with bread, eggs, and herbs, baked until golden and served with rich onion gravy.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 30.0g

Carbs 20.0g

Fat 28.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ eggs ⚠ dairy

Equipment Needed

loaf pan large mixing bowl oven

Presentation Guide

Vessel: oval serving platter

Garnishes: parsley, gravy

Accompaniments: mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables

Ingredients

750g ground beef
2 stale bread rolls, soaked in milk
2 eggs
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp mustard
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp butter
500ml beef broth
2 tbsp flour for gravy

Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Squeeze excess milk from soaked bread rolls and crumble into a large mixing bowl.
2
Combine ground beef with bread, eggs, diced onion, garlic, parsley, marjoram, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand.
3
Shape mixture into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan or on a lined baking tray. Brush top with melted butter.
4
Bake for fifty minutes, basting occasionally with beef broth, until the top is deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 72 degrees.
5
Remove meatloaf and let rest ten minutes. Pour pan juices into a saucepan, whisk in flour, add remaining broth, and simmer to make gravy.
6
Slice meatloaf thickly and serve with the onion gravy spooned generously over the top.

💡

Did You Know?

Hackbraten is considered the ultimate comfort food in Liechtenstein and is the dish most expat Liechtensteiners say they miss the most.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

loaf pan
large mixing bowl
oven

Garnishing

parsley, gravy

Accompaniments

mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables

The Story Behind Hackbraten

Hackbraten represents the practical, waste-nothing ethos of Liechtensteiner home cooking. Farmhouse cooks combined ground meat with stale bread to stretch precious protein, creating a dish that could feed a large family affordably. The tradition of Sunday meatloaf became a cornerstone of family gatherings in the principality, where the dish is still served with seasonal vegetables from Rhine Valley gardens and accompanied by the rich gravy that defines alpine comfort cooking.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed sunday family dinner 📜 Origins: Traditional alpine farmhouse

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