Vepřo knedlo zelo

Vepřo knedlo zelo is the popular, abbreviated form of vepřová pečeně, knedlíky a zelí: roast pork, knedlíky and cabbage. It is a traditional Czech dish, regarded as one of the national dishes alongside svíčková.

The pork, usually shoulder or belly, is seasoned with salt, garlic and caraway and slow-roasted in the oven with onion and a little water until the skin turns golden. The juices that form in the roasting pan become the dish’s sauce.

The cabbage can be sauerkraut or white or red cabbage, cooked with onion, caraway and a touch of sugar and vinegar, which gives it a sweet-and-sour flavor. Knedlíky are made from bread dough, boiled in a roll and sliced, or made from potatoes. On the plate, slices of pork, the cabbage and the knedlíky share the space, and the roasting juices cover everything.

It is everyday food and also the family Sunday lunch, served in inns and restaurants across the country. In many homes the word order changes and the dish becomes knedlo vepřo zelo, without altering the recipe.