Potée Savoyarde d’Hiver

There are winter dishes that comfort, and then there are winter dishes that hold you. Potée Savoyarde belongs firmly to the second category. This is mountain cooking at its most honest, born from necessity, patience, and a deep understanding of cold weather.

 

In the Alpine regions of Savoie, winter meals were never about refinement for refinement’s sake. They were about nourishment, warmth, and gathering everyone back to the table after a day in the cold. Potée is one of those dishes that simmers gently for hours, asking very little while giving everything in return.

 

At its heart, this is a dish of cabbage and pork. Green cabbage, sturdy and sweet once cooked long enough, becomes soft and yielding. Pork shoulder brings richness, while smoked sausages add depth and memory, the faint echo of smoke that once preserved meat through long winters. Potatoes soak up the broth, becoming part of the structure rather than a side.

 

Nothing is rushed. The vegetables are added in stages, each given time to release its flavor without losing its identity. The broth becomes cloudy and rich, infused with bay, garlic, and peppercorns. The kitchen fills with a scent that feels unmistakably winter, warm, savory, reassuring.

 

This is not a dish for presentation tricks. It is served generously, straight from the pot, with mustard on the side and bread close at hand. It invites silence at the table, broken only by the sound of spoons against bowls.

 

Potée Savoyarde reminds us that French cuisine is not only about finesse and sauces, but also about resilience, seasonality, and care. When the days are short and the air is sharp, this is the kind of food that makes winter feel like a choice rather than a burden.

 

Recipe

 

Serves 4–5

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 small green cabbage, cut into wedges (900 g | 2 lb)
• 800 g pork shoulder, cut into large chunks (1.75 lb)
• 2 smoked pork sausages (diots or Montbéliard) (300 g | 10.5 oz)
• 800 g waxy potatoes, peeled and halved (1.75 lb)
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces (200 g | 7 oz)
• 1 large onion, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns
• Salt, to taste

 

Method

 

Place the pork shoulder in a large heavy pot and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.

 

Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and peppercorns. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes.

 

Add the carrots and cabbage wedges. Simmer for another 30 minutes, keeping the broth at a gentle bubble.

 

Add the potatoes and smoked sausages. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, until all elements are tender and infused with the broth.

 

Taste and season with salt if needed. Remove the onion and bay leaf before serving.

 

Serve hot, directly from the pot, with strong mustard and crusty bread.

 

Wine pairing

 

A Jacquère from Savoie is the classic choice, fresh and mineral, cutting through the richness.

Alternatively, a light Mondeuse works beautifully if you prefer red.