Potée Lorraine

Potée Lorraine is a unique French stew belonging to a group of potée dishes–classic French dishes cooked in traditional earthenware pots. As the name suggests, this particular variety originates from the Lorraine region, situated in north-eastern France.

It combines meat, potatoes, and vegetables, and transforms them into an authentic meal. Traditionally, pork shoulder or pork knuckles are used as the main ingredient–they are supposed to be cooked whole, then cut from the bone. The meat is cooked first–usually for a couple of hours–while the vegetables are added later, most commonly cabbage, carrots, turnips, and leeks.

The final addition is a traditional French sausage which is cooked together with meat and vegetables. This nutritious dish is usually served in a particular order: the soup comes first, followed by sliced vegetables, then the meat, which is placed on top of other ingredients.

It is usually served warm, but due to the time-consuming method of preparation, it is usually cooked in larger quantities.