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What is weisswurst?
A beloved traditional food of Munich, weisswurst is a sausage made from veal and pork. Unlike most German sausages its colour is white and its texture smooth. Traditionally, it contains flavourings such as onion, parsley, bacon, salt, pepper and a touch of lemon. Weisswurst reaches peak popularity during Oktoberfest and, not surprisingly, is great enjoyed with Bavarian beer.
The origins of weisswurst
According to legend, weisswurst was invented accidentally in 1857 when a Munich innkeeper ran out of the sheep’s casings he used to make bratwürste and decided to use pork casings instead, despite them being tougher and more chewy. Concerned they would split when he grilled them, he boiled them and the rest is history. Traditional weisswürste are made fresh and don’t contain any preservatives, meaning they should be consumed before midday, although they can now be bought in supermarkets, kept refrigerated and eaten whenever or wherever.
The nutritional value of weisswurst
Weisswurst are unsurprisingly high in protein, with a regular-sized portion providing almost a quarter of an adult’s recommended daily allowance. This protein does come with a lot of fat though, saturated fat, so it would be sensible not to eat weisswurst too regularly. The most important rule is never to eat the skin or casing of a weisswurst, as it is chewy and will impact the sausage’s flavour.
Other German sausages
German sausages are delicious and the source of much national and regional pride. Sometimes the recipes are closely guarded secrets! Bratwurst is one of the best known and is made from pork and beef. It can be made into currywurst by slathering it in curry sauce. Blutwurst (blood sausage) is a classic dish that is often eaten cold on bread. Knackwurst is made entirely from beef and is often smoked or flavoured with garlic. Finally, bregenwurst comes from Lower Saxony and traditionally included cattle brain in its recipe, although most modern recipes tend to skip this…
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How Do I Cook Weisswurst?
Weisswurst should be enjoyed warm. It can be cooked in simmering water for 10 minutes or grilled. Pan frying is also acceptable.
Traditional accompaniments are sweet mustard from Bavaria, beer and a pretzel locals call laugenbrezel (as pictured up top).
Recipe for Weisswurst
If you'd like to make weisswurst from scratch follow this easy recipe from Steffs Dinners. It yields 16 sausages.
The casings need to be prepared in advance while you’re making the filling. A food processor will help blend the meat, distributing the parsley through it evenly. Make sure not to overstuff your sausages, leaving room for the weisswurst to expand while cooking.
Serve with pretzels and sweet mustard.
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