The Canon

Berner Platte

Berner Plattede

Also: Bernese Platter

A copious Bernese feast platter of sauerkraut and dried beans crowned with an assortment of smoked and cured pork meats, sausages, ribs, and boiled potatoes.

Identity criteria

  1. 1Built on a bed of braised sauerkraut and/or dried green beans (Dörrbohnen)
  2. 2Topped with a generous assortment of smoked, cured, and boiled meats — not a single cut
  3. 3Pork-centric: smoked bacon, ribs, ham, and sausages predominate
  4. 4Served as one shared, abundant platter for the table
  5. 5Accompanied by boiled potatoes

Components

Base

Sauerkraut and/or dried beans (Dörrbohnen)essentialThe sour vegetable bed that anchors the platter

Boiled potatoesessential

Protein

Assorted smoked and cured pork — bacon, ham, ribsessentialMultiple cuts; variety is the point

Sausages (e.g. Bauernbratwurst, Rippli)essential

Beef tongue or marrow boneoptionalCommon in fuller versions

Aromatics

Juniper, bay, onionoptionalSeason the kraut braise

Technique

Slow braising of sauerkraut
Softens and melds the sour cabbage so it carries the smoky meats
Boiling/simmering of cured meats
Gently warms and tenderizes the assortment without drying it
Assembly as a mounded platter
The dish's identity is the abundant communal presentation

Form & serving

Served
Heaped on a large shared platter, meats arranged over the kraut
Temperature
hot
Portion
communal / feast
Pairs with
boiled potatoes · mustard · Swiss white wine · beer

Character

Flavour

smokysoursavoryrich

Texture

tender braised cabbage against firm cured meats

Eaten

A hearty winter feast dish for family gatherings and festive Bernese occasions.

When

autumn · winter

Variations & related

Regional variations

  • Dörrbohnen version · Bern canton

    Uses dried green beans alongside or instead of sauerkraut

  • Extended platter · Switzerland

    Adds beef tongue, marrow bones, and extra sausage types for festive occasions

Related dishes

  • sibling Choucroute garnie

    French Alsatian counterpart of sauerkraut with assorted meats

  • pairs-with Boiled potatoes

    Standard accompaniment

Substitutions

  • Sauerkraut → Dried green beans (Dörrbohnen)admissible

    A traditional regional alternative bed

  • Pork meats → Vegetarian sausagesinadmissible

    Removes the cured-pork assortment that defines the platter

Common mistakes

  • Serving a single meat instead of a varied assortment
  • Under-braising the sauerkraut so it stays harsh and crunchy
  • Treating it as a plated portion rather than an abundant shared platter

Provenance

A Bernese specialty traditionally said to commemorate the 1798 Battle of Neuenegg, when villagers brought their stored meats and produce to feed the troops.

References

  1. 1.Swiss regional culinary tradition

Confidence: high