Pork Comforting Main French

Alsatian three-meat stew (Baeckeoffe)

Name: Alsatian three-meat stew (Baeckeoffe) recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 270 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: /french
Ingredients: 500g pork neck, cut into 5cm chunks; 500g deboned lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm chunks; 500g beef oyster blade, cut into 5cm chunks; 12 eschalots; 12 garlic cloves; 1 leek, cut into 2cm rings; 2 carrots, sliced 1cm thick; 3 fresh bay leaves; 1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked; 6 juniper berries, lightly bruised to split the skin; 750ml bottle riesling; 1.2kg large waxy potatoes (such as Dutch cream, Red Royale or Nicola); 8 slices belly bacon or pancetta (don’t use back bacon, must be the belly); 300g plain flour; 20.00 ml extra virgin olive oil

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Mike McEnearny Alsatian three-meat stew (Baeckeoffe) — Brett Stevens

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by Mike McEnearney

Chef and delicious. columnist

Apr 23, 2026

“Baeckeoffe is one of those dishes that never fails – generous, comforting and built to share. It comes from the Alsace region of France, where families would take their pots to the local baker to cook slowly in the falling heat of the bread oven. It’s a simple idea, but a beautiful one. The filling is everything – layers of pork, lamb and beef, slowly cooking down with potatoes, aromatics and white wine until it all melts together. It’s not a heavy stew; more a deeply flavoured broth with tender meat and soft vegetables that have taken on everything around them. Sealed with dough, it holds all that in until the very end.

“This dish will happily hold for hours once cooked, as long as you don’t open the lid. In fact, I prefer letting it rest for about an hour before opening – the flavours settle and it’s no longer fiercely hot. Cracking that dough lid at the table is half the joy – the first hit of steam and aroma is intoxicating.” – Mike McEnearney.

You’ll need to start this recipe a day ahead, and you’ll need a deep casserole or earthenware pot with a lid – at least 15cm deep. If your dish is too wide and shallow, don’t worry about layering the ingredients – simply place everything in a single layer, finishing with the potatoes and bacon on top. If you like a richer, more gelatinous stew, add a pig’s trotter, split in half, to the marinade.

500g pork neck, cut into 5cm chunks
500g deboned lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm chunks
500g beef oyster blade, cut into 5cm chunks
12 eschalots
12 garlic cloves
1 leek, cut into 2cm rings
2 carrots, sliced 1cm thick
3 fresh bay leaves
1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked
6 juniper berries, lightly bruised to split the skin
750ml bottle riesling
1.2kg large waxy potatoes (such as Dutch cream, Red Royale or Nicola)
8 slices belly bacon or pancetta (don’t use back bacon, must be the belly)

Dough

2 cups (300g) plain flour
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Method

1.

The day before, place the meats, eschalot, garlic, leek, carrot, herbs and juniper in a non-reactive bowl or tray and pour over the entire bottle of wine. Marinate, covered, overnight in the fridge.
2.

Meanwhile, make the dough. In a separate bowl, knead the flour with a pinch of salt flakes, the olive oil and 3/4 cup (180ml) water into a firm but pliable dough. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3.

Four to six hours before serving, preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced.
4.

Peel the potatoes and slice them about 0.5cm thick. Don’t cut them too thin – we’re not making a gratin. Add the potatoes to the marinated ingredients with a good pinch of salt flakes and a generous grinding of black pepper. Toss well.
5.

Strain the wine marinade from the ingredients and reserve marinade.
6.

In a deep casserole that has a lid, line the base with a layer of potatoes. Add a layer of the marinated vegetables and meat. Ladle over some of the marinade. Add another layer of potatoes, followed by the remaining meat and vegetables. (if you have a deeper, narrow pot, you can do three layers if you wish.) Ladle over more marinade, reserving about half for the final pour. Arrange the final potatoes over the top, overlapping in a neat scalloped pattern to completely cover the filling. Lay the pancetta across the potatoes. Pour over the remaining marinade. Don’t worry if the liquid doesn’t completely cover the ingredients; don’t be tempted to add any more liquid.
7.

Roll the prepared dough into a long sausage and place it around the rim of the pot. Place the lid on top, pressing it down so the dough seals the lid tightly.
8.

Place in the oven and cook for at least 4 hours. Remove from the oven and allow the pot to rest for at least 1 hour (don’t open yet, see recipe intro, at top).
9.

To serve, carry the pot to the table. Crack away the baked dough seal and lift the lid. Let everyone gather around for the first breath of steam – it’s one of those great kitchen moments. Spoon the stew into bowls, making sure everyone gets a piece of everything, with plenty of the juices. It isn’t a thick stew; it’s lighter and deeply aromatic, perfect for autumn.