- The Curesmith
Bratwurst is one of the oldest and most storied sausages in the German-speaking world. The earliest recorded recipes date to fourteenth-century Nuremberg, where butchers were already bound by guild regulations specifying exactly what could and could not go into a sausage, a testament to how seriously the craft was taken even then. The word itself comes from the Old High German brät, meaning finely chopped meat, and wurst, meaning sausage. Nothing complicated. Nothing hidden. Just good meat, handled well.
Over the centuries, bratwurst evolved differently in almost every region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Nuremberg bratwursts are tiny and spiced with marjoram. Thuringian bratwursts are long, coarse and heavy on caraway. The Franconian version is thicker and robust. But the South German and Swiss styles, the ones that use veal, cream and warm spices like nutmeg and ginger, are something else entirely. These are sausages of extraordinary delicacy and refinement, a world away from the thick, heavily smoked versions that most people associate with the word bratwurst today.
This recipe sits firmly in that finer tradition. Pork shoulder and veal give the farce both flavour and tenderness, the back fat provides richness and keeps the sausage moist through the cooking process, and the cream brings everything together with a smoothness that you simply cannot achieve in a drier mix. The nutmeg and ginger are not afterthoughts. They are the soul of this style of bratwurst, the quiet warmth that lingers after every bite.
A personal note: This is one of our family’s favourite sausages, and the one we come back to more than any other. The first time we made it, properly, from scratch, with good pork and real cream, it was a revelation. Distinctly different from anything sold commercially under the bratwurst name, this recipe goes to the heart of what the sausage was originally intended to be: something worth making carefully, worth eating slowly, and worth sharing with people you care about. We hope it becomes a favourite in your household too.
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Health & Safety Disclaimer
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Purpose and scope
The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.
Limitation of liability
The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.
Nitrite and cure safety
Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:
- Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
- Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
- Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
- Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.
Food hygiene and cross-contamination
Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.
Temperature control
Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.
Uncooked cured products
Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.
Bacon and other uncooked cured products
Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.
When in doubt, seek professional guidance
If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.
Commercial production
These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.
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the recipe
| Meat & fat | ||
| Pork shoulder | 100% | 2000 g |
| Veal | 30% of pork | 600 g |
| Back fat | 30% of pork | 600 g |
| Total meat | 2600 g | |
| Total mix (meat + fat) | 3200 g | |
| Seasoning & binding | ||
| Salt | 1.8% of total meat | 46.8 g |
| Black pepper, ground | 0.254% | 6.6 g |
| Nutmeg, freshly grated | 0.214% | 5.6 g |
| Ginger, ground | 0.214% | 5.6 g |
| Coriander, ground | 0.077% | 2.0 g |
| Eggs, whole | 1 per 1000g pork | 2 eggs |
| Double cream | 10.68% of total meat | 277.8 g |