Bockwurst – Traditional German-Style Finely Ground Sausage

Preparation

1. 01

   Step 01

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

2. 02

   Step 02

   Grind the chilled meat through a 2 mm plate and the fat through a 3 mm plate. Transfer the ground meat to a wide bowl and chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes.

3. 03

   Step 03

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

4. 04

   Step 04

   Soak the natural casings in warm water for 10 minutes, then rinse them by running water through the inside. Tie one end of the casing in a knot and fit the other end onto a sausage stuffer (or funnel).

5. 05

   Step 05

   Stuff the Brät firmly into the casings. Each sausage should be approximately 12-14 cm long. Squeeze the casing during stuffing to eliminate any air bubbles. Tie each sausage with twine or twist to separate. You will yield a total of 8 sausages.

6. 06

   Poaching in 70-80°C water

   Heat the water to 70-80°C in a wide pot (the water should barely tremble, not boil). Carefully 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 under any circumstances, or the casings will burst.

7. 07

   Step 07

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