Authentic Oktoberfest Food that Tastes Better with Beer

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair annually held where it originated – in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. History tells us that in October 1810, the German festival was a wedding celebration for Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildgurghausen. The public party’s main event was a horse race where guests and spectators were treated to barrels of beer and lots of food.

Today, Oktoberfest is held in many parts of the world for an extended period of 16 days to celebrate the unification of Germany. The event may take place anywhere that can accommodate tents and carnival booths. Nevertheless, it can also kick off in your own backyard by hosting an Oktoberfest party. As long as you have an assortment of Oktoberfest/German Day Party Supplies, music, kegs of beer and all the fabulous food that serves as perfect mate for the malted drink, you can celebrate the Munich festival without leaving home.

Food to Serve in Your Own Oktoberfest Party

• Sausages: Oktoberfest is not Oktoberfest without bratwurst or German sausage. It is a sausage with all the goodness of veal, pork and beef minced together and packed in intestine casing. You can also serve other variations such as pimmelwurst, bierwurst, or weisswurst, a veal sausage with fresh bacon and flavored with different spices. Your guest will surely come back to fill their Oktoberfest Dinner Plates for a second or third serving.

• Fish: One of the staples in the festival is fish in the likes of salmon, herring, and halibut. In Germany, fish dishes are served smoked, grilled, and marinated with different seasonings. A favorite course is the steckerlfisch or any kind of fish grilled on a stick. Usually a big mackerel is marinated in a mixture of garlic and spices then grilled to a perfect crunch.

• Roasted Pork Knuckles: If there’s something that goes great with beer, it is schweihnshaxe mit sauerkraut. It is a ham hock marinated in a mixture of caraway seeds and garlic then roasted until crisp and garnished with horseradish, pickles, and mustard. Make sure to chill all beers in your Beer Mug Inflatable Cooler to have plenty to gulp down this hearty meal during the eating session.

• Cheese: An Oktoberfest party is not complete without cheese. So say “Käse!” when you serve harzer käse wearing your Alpine party costume. Germany is famous for its dairy products including the harzer cheese with strong sour milk smell and flavor. For a milder option, serve quark for guests who prefer fresh and uncured cheese.

• Salad: The Bavarian kartoffel salat is traditionally prepared with vinegar and oil. It is made by mixing hot potatoes with chicken broth, bacon bits, and shredded onions. The salad is best served while still warm and makes a complementary dish to your prepared menu.

• Side Dish: Blaukraut or German braised red cabbage is one popular side dish that is always present during Oktoberfest. It is just the right partner to balance the heaviness of the sausages and the tartness of the cheese.

• Dessert: It’s not surprising why the Austrian emperor Kaiser Franz Joseph I, from whom kaiserschmarrn is named after, was very fond of this traditional Austrian dessert. Let your guests go loco over this caramelized pancake with rum-soaked raisins. Don’t forget to sprinkle the pieces with powdered sugar and a generous drizzle of plum sauce on top.

Start planning your Oktoberfest party as early as August. By this time, store shelves are already stocked with beers both locally made and directly imported from Germany. As you hang your Oktoberfest Beer Hall Sign and Scene Setter when September comes, you can be sure you had prepared early enough by pairing the most authentic Oktoberfest food with the best German pilsen and lager in town.

“Ein prosit!” Cheers!