bratwurst

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and potatoes

Nürnberger pork bratwurst with sauerkraut and mustard, in Munich.

A bratwurst (pronounced: [ˈbraːtvʊɐst] (help·info)) is a sausage composed of pork, beef, or veal. The name is German, derived from Old High German brätwurst, from brät-, which is finely chopped meat and -wurst, or sausage. Though the brat in bratwurst describes the way the sausages are made, it is often misconstrued to be derived from the German verb "braten", which means to pan fry or roast.^[1] Bratwurst are usually grilled and sometimes cooked in broth or beer.

Eating practices and traditions

Germany

How the sausage is served varies by region. In Thuringia, it is often eaten with hot German mustard in a bread roll or Brötchen. There and further south, the bratwurst is often served "pinched" in a bread roll, much like a forerunner of the American hot dog in a bun. It is a very popular form of "fast food" in German-speaking countries, often cooked and sold from small stands and street vendors. Recipes for the sausage can also vary; some sources list over forty different varieties of German bratwurst.^[2]

A giant wurst-and-bun statue can be found at the main intersection of Holzhausen, the location of the German Bratwurst Museum (Deutsches Bratwurstmuseum). The museum, run by the Friends of Thuringian Bratwurst, opened in 2006 and is devoted only to the Thuringian sausage.

The oldest document in the museum mentions bratwurst for the first time in 1404 in Thuringia. In 1410 followed the County of Katzenelnbogen.^[3]

Regional Variation^[4]

Coburger Bratwurst Bratwurst originating in the city of Coburg in Bavaria. It is made from a minimum of 15% veal or beef, and its seasonings include only salt, pepper, nutmeg, and lemon zest. It is coarse in texture and measures about 25 cm in length. Traditionally it is grilled over pinecones and served in a bread roll (Brötchen).

Fränkische Bratwurst A relatively long (10-20 cm), thick, coarse sausage, originating from the Franconia (Franken) region in Bavaria. It dates back to 1573. The Fränkische Bratwurst is traditionally served with sauerkraut or potato salad, but with no mustard.

Kulmbacher Bratwurst The Kulmbacher Bratwurst, from the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria, is made mainly from finely ground veal. It is long and thin.

Nürnberger Rostbratwurst A small, thin bratwurst from the city of Nürnberg. It is no longer than 7-9 cm and weighs no more than 25 g. It is traditionally grilled over a beechwood fire and served in sets of 6 or 12 with horseradish and sauerkraut or potato salad. Perhaps the most popular sausage in Germany, Nürnberger Bratwürste / Nürnberger Rostbratwürste is also protected under EU law with PGI status.^[5] Traditionally roasted and served three abreast on a bun with mustard, this pork-based wurst is recognized in markets and restaurants across Germany. Fresh marjoram and ground caraway seed are attributed to being among the important ingredients in this distinctive sausage.

Nordhessische Bratwurst The Nordhessische Bratwurst (from Northern Hessen) is similar to the Thüringer Rostbratwurst in taste. It is made from coarsely ground pork and is heavily seasoned. It measures around 20 cm in length. Traditionally, it is grilled over a wood fire and served on a cut-open roll (Brötchen) with mustard.

Rote Wurst The Rote Wurst is a favorite Bratwurst of the Swabian region. It is similar to the Bockwurst, and is made from finely ground pork and bacon. Its taste is spicy. To prevent splitting during grilling or pan frying, an X is cut into the ends of the sausage. The ends open during cooking, but the rest of the sausage remains intact, giving it its traditional shape.

Thüringer Rostbratwurst The Thüringer Rostbratwurst is a spicy sausage from Thüringen. It is long (15-20 cm) and thin in shape. Traditionally, it is grilled over a charcoal fire and eaten with mustard and bread.

Würzburger Bratwurst The Würzburger Bratwurst, also known as the Winzerbratwurst, comes from the city of Würzburg. Its size is similar to the Thüringer Rostbratwurst, but its ingredients include white Franken-Wine.

Belgium and the Netherlands

Bratwurst or braadworst in Dutch can be made of pork, beef, veal or chicken and are usually fried in butter or broiled on the barbecue. Braadworst is a common food at fairs and carnivals in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In the United States

The bratwurst (or "brat") was popularized as a mainstay of sports stadiums after Bill Sperling introduced brats to major league baseball in Milwaukee County Stadium in 1953. The brats were such a hit, Sperling said, that Duke Snider of the Brooklyn Dodgers took a case back to New York, and the rest is history.^[6]

The type of bratwurst most commonly found in the United States are the larger variety (as opposed to the smaller "Nuremberg-style" bratwurst), approximately 1 inch in diameter, reddish-brown in color, and made of some combination of beef and pork, and sometimes smoked. Bratwurst made exclusively with chicken or turkey, and even vegetarian versions, are increasingly found in American grocery stores.

Bratwurst is among the favorite foods of the state of Wisconsin, where it is traditionally cooked over a charcoal grill. The favored method involves parboiling the sausage in a mixture of beer, onions, and butter before grilling it and serving it on a hard roll with sauerkraut and mustard.

America's largest supplier of "brats" is the Johnsonville Foods company of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Their main product (the Johnsonville Brat) is a reasonable facimile of the traditional bratwurst found in most of Germany, though in the U.S. they are served on American hot dog buns, instead of the traditional German brötchen.

See also

• Bockwurst
• Sausage Race
• Blood sausage
• Wurst mart

References