John Myers
The term Thuringian bratwurst is a so-called protected geographical indication. The most important feature of a “real” Thuringian is that it was actually made exclusively in Thuringia. Nowadays, however, the raw materials used may also come from other regions. Incidentally, the traditional specialty from Thuringia is a medium-coarse to coarse bratwurst. In contrast to the fine ones used in our potato sausage pan, for example.
Exactly which ingredients are contained in the Thuringian bratwurst differs from recipe to recipe and is usually a secret. However, it is known that the sausage specialty mostly consists of pork, although desiccated veal or beef is also permitted as an ingredient. In addition to salt and pepper, the spice mixtures usually contain cumin, nutmeg and garlic, sometimes also marjoram, cardamom, lemon peel, wild garlic or mustard seeds. The sausage meat is filled into a natural casing, the finished sausage is 15 to 20 centimeters long.
The real Rostbratwurst from Thuringia usually comes raw on the charcoal grill. The grilled sausage is traditionally served with a sliced bread roll and original Thuringian mustard. The mustard consists of ground mustard seeds, horseradish and brandy vinegar. Thuringian potato salad is also a popular side dish.
In Holzhausen, Thuringia, there is even the first German Bratwurst Museum, which has collected and exhibited all sorts of curiosities, facts and anecdotes about Thuringian bratwurst. The origins of the grilled sausage are said to go back as far as 700 BC, because the Greek poet Homer described a comparable sausage in his Odyssey. The museum is sponsored by the association “Freunde der Thüringer Bratwurst e. V.”, which has been striving to maintain culture and customs related to sausages since 2006.
When Weimar was the European Capital of Culture in 1999, there was a medium-sized scandal: the head of organization was of the opinion that freshly grilled Thuringian sausages did not go with the upscale cultural scene. He achieved a locally limited sales ban in the city, although a citizens’ initiative tried to prevent this. Since January 2004, however, the Thuringian bratwurst has been protected and is considered a cultural asset.
