Wurst-Mania: All About German Sausages

Culinary Cam

6 hours ago

5 min read

Here we are at the twenty-third installment of our 2026 Alphabet Challenge that was started by Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. As in years past, we post every two weeks with a recipe inspired by a certain letter. It's like Sesame Street for grown ups! Can you believe we only have a handful more letters to go this year! Here we are with the letter 'w'...

W is for...

Alcohol White Christmas Cake by Sneha’s Recipe
Creamy White Bean Pesto Dip by Jolene’s Recipe Journal:
Grilled Buffalo Wings by Blogghetti
Levain-Style Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Pahadi Mooli Ki Kadhi by Mayuri’s Jikoni
Vintage Avocado-Orange Fruit Dip by A Messy Kitchen
Watermelon Quinoa Salad with Lime & Chilli Vinaigrette by Sizzling Tastebuds
White Bean Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Windfall Apple Tart byFood Lust People Love
Wurst-Mania: All About German Sausages by Culinary Cam (you're here)

Food vs. Vibes

We have had many conversations about whether people are 'food people' or 'vibe people.' R says most people are 'vibe people' as in they pick a restaurant based on the atmosphere or the views. Me? I am hands-down food first. He noted that I don't pay any attention to sticky floors, paper napkins, or no sign outside if the food is amazing. True story.

Sausages are definitely one of those foods that are equally at home in restaurants with tablecloths as well as on the street corner from a food truck!

Photographed above: plate at the now defunct Tyrolean Inn in the Santa Cruz mountains; platter at Copenhagen Sausage Company in Solvang; and take-away currywurst from a street stand in Vienna, Austria.

If you have never had currywurst, it's a popular street snack; it's a cooked sausage served in a smooth, rich curry gravy. It is served all over the country and beyond - we had it in Vienna, Austria - but Hamburg is often mentioned as its birthplace.

We are definitely 'food people' though R said he might have been a 'vibe person' if he didn't grow up in our family.

How To...

Many years ago one of our favorite chefs offered a sausage-making workshop. I signed up immediately. D and I spent an afternoon with Chef Brad Briske in the garden of his restaurant, HOME Soquel; we learned how to carve a half hog, how to grind, season, and stuff the casings. Then Brad cooked some in his wood-fired oven and we all got to take a few pounds of sausages home. It was an amazing experience.

Wurst-Mania

When I was thinking about things to make for the letter 'w', I landed on wurst as in 'sausage' in Germany. I didn't feel like learning how to make all those different kinds, so I sourced them at The Alpine Inn in Pennsylvania. Thank goodness for FedEx and freezer pack boxes.

Bratwürst

Bratwurst stems from two words, an Old High German word brat, meaning meat without waste, and würst, which means sausage. And it was a technique of not wasting scraps and a way of feeding a family during the Winter months. Though the sausage has its origins with the Celts, it eventually landed in Eastern Germany. Typically made with pork, veal or beef, there are nearly 50 varieties throughout Germany. In the United States, they are very popular in Wisconsin!

Knockwürst

Knockwürst or Knackwurst is made from ground pork, beef, or a combination of both, heavily seasoned with garlic and has a high fat content. Unlike bratwurst and similar sausages, knackwurst's casing becomes extra crispy when heated, lending it a different texture and a very specific sound when you bite into it.

Nürnberger Bratwürst

Nürnberger Bratwürst originated in Nürnberg in the Franconia region of Bavaria. These are smaller and thinner than the other sausages. Made from pork, it is mixed with a blend of salt, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, and - the signature herb - marjoram.

Additionally, Nürnberger Bratwürst are usually grilled over a beechwood fire, which imparts a unique, smoky flavor. I can't find any reason why, but they are traditionally served in sets of six, eight, and twelve or in a bread roll with mustard known as 'Drei im Weckla; meaning three in a roll.

Thüringer

The oldest known recipe, held at the Weimar State Archives, dates back to 1613. Martin Luther and Goethe both appreciated it, and it was often mentioned in literature. Made of finely minced pork - sometimes beef and veal - the spice blend varies by regtion but it usually a combination of salt, pepper, caraway, marjoram, and garlic. Just a note that of all the wursts we tried, this was the family favorite!

Weißwürste

Weisswurst or white sausage, a specialty of Munich, was invented in 1857 by a butcher named Sepp Moser. The story goes that he was working in a restaurant next to his butcher's shop and had used the last of thick sausage skins used to make regular sausages. So, he used the thin skins. Worried that they would burst during the frying process, he par-boiled the sausages for 10 minutes. The sausages are a mixture of pork, veal, ,and pork fat; they are seasoned with parsley, pepper, lemon, and salt. They have become one of the most consumed items at Oktoberfest these days. Weisswurst is always served hot, usually accompanied by pretzels.