Bratwurst

Bratwurst (German: [ˈbʁaːtvʊʁst] ) is a type of German sausage made from pork or, less commonly, beef, veal, or any combination of beef, veal, and pork. The name is derived from the Old High German Brätwurst, from brät-, finely chopped meat, and Wurst, sausage, although in modern German it is often associated with the verb braten, to pan fry or roast.

History

The first documented evidence of the Bratwurst in Germany dates to 1313 in the Franconian city of Nuremberg, which is still internationally renowned for the production of grilling sausages.

Types and traditions

Germany

In Germany, a bratwurst is considered genuine if its main ingredient is pork. Recipes for the sausage vary by region and even locality; some sources list over 40 different varieties of German Bratwurst, many of the best known originating in Franconia (today for the most part situated in northern Bavaria, but still culturally quite distinct), its northern neighbor Thuringia and adjacent areas. How the sausages are served is also locally different, but most commonly they are regarded as a simple snack served with or in a white bread roll made from wheat flour and eaten with mustard. As a pub dish, it is often accompanied by sauerkraut or potato salad and sometimes served with dark, crusty country bread made predominantly from rye flour, or less commonly with a Brezel (pretzel). It is a very popular form of fast food in German-speaking countries, often cooked and sold by street vendors from small stands, and is also traditionally popular with fans at football games.

Franconian varieties

Fränkische Bratwurst

The Franconian sausage is a relatively long (10–20 cm [4–8 in]), thick, coarse sausage, common to the whole Franconian region with slight variations. It dates back to 1313.