Bockwurst – Traditional German-Style Finely Ground Sausage

Preparation

1. 01

   Step 01

   Dice the pork shoulder and back fat, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Cold meat is essential for achieving a smooth Brät.

2. 02

   Step 02

   Pass the chilled meat through a mincer fitted with a 2 mm disc, and the fat through a 3 mm disc. Transfer the mince to a wide bowl and chill in the refrigerator for a further 10 minutes.

3. 03

   Step 03

   Add the salt, white pepper, sweet paprika, ground cloves, ground ginger and ground cardamom to the mince. Gradually add the ice-cold water, kneading with a wooden spoon or food processor until a smooth, sticky and homogeneous Brät is achieved. The temperature of the mixture must not exceed 12°C.

4. 04

   Step 04

   Soak the natural casings in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, then flush them with water to clean. Tie one end of the casing in a knot and thread the other end onto a sausage stuffer (or funnel).

5. 05

   Step 05

   Fill the casings firmly with the Brät. Each sausage should be approximately 12–14 cm long. Squeeze the casing during filling to ensure no air bubbles remain. Tie each sausage with string or twist to separate. You will obtain 8 sausages in total.

6. 06

   Poaching in water at 70–80°C

   Heat the water in a wide pan to 70–80°C (the water should barely tremble, not boil). Gently lower the sausages into the water and poach for 20–25 minutes. The sausages are done when they float to the surface and the internal temperature reaches 70°C. Do not boil, as the casings will burst.

7. 07

   Step 07

   Remove the sausages from the water and drain off any excess. Serve hot with fresh bread and mustard.