Würst of the week - Stippgrütze

This week's Würst is the Stippgrütze.

The Stippgrütze, also known as Wurstebrei, is an eastern Westphalia speciality, often compared with Scotland's Haggis.

Literally meaning "Groat Sausage" in English, the Stippgrütze is primarily made from barley groats cooked in Wurstbrühe (sausage juices), a mixture that is enhanced with offcuts of meat and offal, generally heart, kidney or liver, which are together seasoned with salt and various spices, often allspice and thyme.

Once cooked the sausage mixture is minced and any excess juices poured off. The crumbly remains are then left to cool and congeal with the remaining fat. The Würst's high fat content means that it is easily preserved or frozen. This together with the use of offal in the sausage has meant that the Stippgrütze has often been seen as a poor man's winter food.

The Stippgrütze is generally served as hot slices straight from a frying pan. Sometimes the mixture is stirred, often resulting in a sausage purée, or Wurstebrei.

This Würst's high fat content also makes it an ideal snack before drinking. So don't forget to knock back one of Westphalia's finest, a Dortmunder Export, whilst sampling this unheralded Würst.

Würst of the week - Currywurst

This week's Würst is the Currywurst.

This Würst is one of Germany's less gourmet Wurst offerings but has been selected due to its popularity as a fast-food staple and national food obsession in Germany.

Often sold from fast food trucks and Imbissbuden, this Wurst is generally made from pork, and served cut into slices (easier to eat with a plastic fork) with a generous helping of curry ketchup (normally consisting of standard ketchup or tomato paste with a liberal sprinkling of curry powder).

Also known as the Phosphatstange, this Wurst is most popular in the larger metropolitan areas of Germany, particularly in Berlin, Hamburg and across the Ruhr. Traditionally, every candidate for Berlin mayor is photographed at some point consuming a Currywurst from a fast-food stand.

This Wurst is so popular it has its own museum, the Deutsches Currywurst Museum in Berlin.

Würst of the week - Thüringer Rostbratwurst

This week's Würst is the Thüringer Rostbratwurst.

This Würst is a unique type of roasted Bratwurst from the German state of Thuringia, a region known as the green heart of Germany, due to the dense forests covering the state's mountainous terrain (Harz mountains to the north, and the Thuringian Forest to the south).

The oldest known reference to the Thüringer Rostbratwurst, found in the state archives, is from the transcript of a bill from the Arnstadt Convent in 1404. This Würst also has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status under EU law.

The Thüringer is made from only finely minced pork, beef, or sometimes veal, and in addition to salt and pepper, can be seasoned with caraway, marjoram, and garlic. A stipulation of its PGI status, is that at least 51% of the ingredients must come from the state of Thuringia. These ingredients are blended together and filled into a pig or sheep intestine.

Thüringers are distinguished from other Bratwurst and the many other types of German Wurst by their distinctive spice mix, but significantly also their low fat content (25% as compared to up to 60% in other Wurst).

Generally sold raw, Thüringers are generally roasted over charcoal or on a grill rubbed with bacon. The fire shouldn't be so hot that the skin breaks, though some charring is desired. It is a tradition in Thuringia that the grills be cooled with beer rather than water.

Usually, a Thuringian sausage is presented in a cut, open roll and brushed with mustard. And this being a Wurst from Thuringia, don't forget to wash it down with Köstritzer Schwarzbier!

Würst of the week - Susej

This week's Würst takes a different turn.

Courtesy of The Wurst, NYC.

Würst of the week - Bayerische Weisswurst

This week's Würst is the Bayerische Weisswurst!

Literally meaning "white sausage", the Weisswurst is a traditional Bavarian sausage typically made from finely minced veal, fresh pork bacon and seasoned with parsley, lemon, onions, ginger and cardamon.

Due to its perishable nature, the Weisswurst is traditionally eaten as a morning snack, generally accompanied by a Brezl (pretzel to you and me) and some Weisswurstsenf (a sweet mustard).

The Weisswurst is a favourite for those visiting Munich's Oktoberfest. So, no matter what time of day, don't forget to serve it with some Weissbier!

Würst of the week - Braunschweiger Mettwurst

This week's Würst is the Braunschweiger Mettwurst!

This eponymous sausage is often always regarded as a Liverwurst, but in this form, the Braunschweiger Mettwurst (raw meat sausage) doesn't contain liver at all.

Instead, this smoked Würst will generally contain a mixture of pork trimmings and lard, with various herbs and spices for seasoning.

It has a soft spreadable consistency, similar to most Liverwursts, and normally has a pork or beef casing.

Go on, try a bit on a bread roll for breakfast!