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Weisswurst

Weisswurst at a Glance

Origination

Bavaria, Germany, West Central Europe

Type of Charcuterie

Fresh Sausage, Cooked Sausage

Main Ingredient

Pork, Veal

Typical Ingredients

Veal, pork, pork fat, salt, pepper, onions, parsley, lemon powder, mace, ginger, cardamom

Other Names

White sausage, Bavarian veal sausage, Munich white sausage

Weisswurst Description

A traditional Bavarian sausage from Germany in West Central Europe, weisswurst is one of the most popular sausages in Munich. It is a staple during local festivals such as Oktoberfest and the local Mardi Gras known as Karnival.

Weisswurst was first made on February 22, 1857 by a local butcher named Joseph Moser. The sausage was made by accident when Moser ran out of the usual ingredients and decided to make bratwurst out of what he had. The sausages were cooked in water rather than grilled to avoid having them burst open.

Weisswurst quickly became a popular sausage enjoyed by both the young and old due to its mild flavor. It is made in the same way today as it was many years ago. The veal, pork and fat are blended together along with the salt, pepper, onions, parsley, lemon, mace, ginger and cardamom. The farce is then stuffed into hog sausage casings and cooked in water for about 30 minutes. After cooking, the links are cooled in cold water.

This Bavarian specialty is usually larger in size and heavier than roasting sausages. Since this is a fresh sausage type, there is no curing salt used explaining the white to pale grey color.

On the inside weisswurst is soft, smooth and slightly pasty in texture. It has a light and refreshing flavor brought about by the lemon and mixture of spices. Being a fresh sausage without any curing salt, this is usually served early in the day as a type of snack before lunch to prevent any spoilage.

Weisswurst is traditionally heated in hot water with parsley, stock or white wine and given out with this. To complete the meal, it is served with Brezen a soft pretzel, and weisswurstsenf a type of sweet mustard.

Bavarians do not slice this sausage and neither do they eat the casing. Rather, to eat weisswurst the sausage is split crosswise and the filling is consumed. This is also considered to be finger food, and is normally eaten without the use of cutlery. To top off a weisswurst meal, weissibier or simply bier which is beer is also provided. Beer is considered to be the best match in terms of drinks for this sausage.

Photo Credit: stormgrass