German Wurst (Sausage)

German Wurst (Sausage)

Besides bread, “Wurst” is the second essential of German staples. Wurst is sold at the butcher – in the south called “Metzger”, in the north “Fleischer” or “Schlachter” – and in any supermarket.

Wurst does not only mean sausage but also stands for the hundreds of different types of processed meat that Germans eat as slices or spread on top of their bread. This kind of Wurst is also called “Aufschnitt”. The most common types of Wurst-Aufschnitt are:

Wurst-Aufschnitt

Fleischwurst
Made from veal and pork. Looks similar to poloni but is firmer and spicier.

Mettwurst or Teewurst
A spread from pork and beef. It has a smoky flavour. Teewurst is fine, Mettwurst coarse.

Leberwurst
A spread made from veal and veal liver. Comes in fine and coarse, with onions or without and in many other variations.

Nuss-Schinken
A delightfully smoked Westphalian style ham with absolutely no fat. Sliced paper-thin.

Salami
There are always dozens of different kinds of Salami available, also called “Dauerwurst”.

Bratwurst
The main species of German sausages is the world-renowned “Bratwurst”. It is, indeed, very popular in the country and made from a blend of finely-ground pork and veal and then precooked. The Bratwurst can come in a lot of variations. Most common are the spicy “Thüringer Bratwurst”, the small “Nürnberger Bratwurst” with Marjoram, the hearty “Schinkenwurst” or the white bavarian “Weisswurst”. All sausages are served with “Senf” (mustard) and make a great lunch or snack, especially when served with “Kartoffelsalat” (potato salad), “Bratkartoffeln”, a side of hot sauerkraut and a slice of heart bread. A Bratwurst can also be ordered as “Curry Wurst”. It ist then cut in small chunks, covered in tomato sauce with a teaspoon of curry powder on top.

Bockwurst
Another type of German sausages is the “Bockwurst” or “Knackwurst”, made from veal and pork. The name derives from the the cracking sound that you hear when you take a bite. The Bockwurst comes in different lengths and diameters. The thin and long ones are called “Frankfurter Würstchen”, the thin and short ones are called “Wiener Würstchen”. They look like viennas but are firmer and taste spicier. Bockwürste are heated in hot water and are usually served with mustard, a slice of white bread or potato salad.