Bratwurst 101

This is a Bratwurst.

It is THE fast food of Germany. You can find Bratwurt grills anywhere you can find people. They are especially found in pedestrian zones, Christmas markets, and farmer markets (where I am about to eat mine above at the Freiburg Farmer's Market). They are usually sold at little mobile stands and are eaten on the go or while standing (note my fellow Bratwurst eaters standing behind me).

And please note: a Bratwurst is NOT a Hot Dog!

The name Bratwurst comes from the old German name Brätwurst..."brät" meant finely chopped meat and "wurst" meaning sausage.

You almost always are served a brötchen (a hard roll) with the wurst and not much else should accompany delicacy...you are often given the option of grilled onions and traditionally you should only put spicy mustard on your wurst, although ketchup is offered as well. (Note the spicy mustard on mine and somewhere in the bread are some grilled onions).

The wurst is often placed inside the roll but I have also seen the bread placed on the side. And the wurst is ALWAYS longer than the bread...and no, as you can see above, you do NOT cut the wurst to fit the bread. The only exception I have seen to this is when you order a Langewurst (long-wurst) which are quite long. Then usually, just before serving, the wurst is cut in half and both pieces are placed in the roll...and the ends still extend beyond the bread.

A variation is Curry-wurst...the wurst is cut into bite-sized pieces and covered in a spicy curry ketchup.

There are red wursts and white wursts (I think I like the white ones better...they have more spices added to them).

They are cooked on a grill or in a pan and eaten immediately when they are hot, toasty, and sooo good!

For our family and friends in Ohio, please visit the annual Bratwurst Festival in Bucyrus, Ohio, August 16-18, 2007!

For our friends here in Germany, please consider visiting the Bratwurst Museum in Thüringer, where the first Bratwurst was made!

Guten Appetit!