Bratwurst Seasoning HELP!!!

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danbono

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 19, 2012
1,702
115
North New Jersey Paramus
Hi All Just tried a a small patty test with Penseys Bratwurst seasonings, didn't taste too bad, but still needs a little some thing more? The German butcher bratwurst had a very distinct taste to it .I'm trying to decide what to add?

I have nutmeg/mace/allspice/marjoram. Any idea's??

I got 5 lbs of ground pork in the fridge unseasoned, also going to use 1/2 of it to make sweet Italian sausage

Thanks Dan

PS I used 1 TB of seasoning to 1 lb ground pork as per Penseys instructions
 
Hi Martin The mixed was in the fridge for only 2 hrs. I couldn't wait any longer.
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I bought some Bratwurst from a German butcher named Karl Ehmer. They were pretty good had a very distinct taste to them. I tried asking  the butcher some questons about what spices were in there, got NO where.

Thanks Dan

PS  I'm going to try 1b using your bratwurst recipe. Last time it was on the mild side.

Classic Nürnberger Bratwürste

Add the following to one kilo of ground pork;

18g Salt

2g Ground White Pepper

0.5g Mace

0.5g Nutmeg

1g Marjoram
 
 
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FWIW, that recipe came from a friend who was in Germany.

Without knowing exactly what bratwurst you had over there, there are dozens, it's not doing to be easy to guess what the spice combination was.
They're often also grilled over different woods which also obviously contributes to their characteristic flavor.



~Martin
 
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Here is my Recipe for Brats.  I suspect the flavor you are missing is Caraway. 
Beer Bratwurst
MeatsGr/KgActualRatio
Pork Shoulder1000 0
salt150.00
sugar1.750.00
pepper2.250.00
Nutmeg1.50.00
Caraway1.50.00
Mustard 0.750.00
Beer750.00
    
Grind pork through 3/8th die---Add spices -mix throughly.  When ready to stuff add beer and mix until sticky.  Stuff, cook and it is ready to eat.  
 
I have made sausages with Onion. It does add a distinctive and somewhat sweet flavor...JJ
 
Classic Nürnberger Bratwürste

Add the following to one kilo of ground pork;

18g Salt

2g Ground White Pepper

0.5g Mace

0.5g Nutmeg

1g Marjoram
 
If you are shooting for Nürnberger style, you should increase the pepper to maybe 2.5 and 2-2.25 of Marjoram.  Also Nürnberger has a slight ginger flavor to it, so try maybe .5 grams.  You will also want to stuff in Sheep casings as these are small diameter sausages
 
FWIW, according to the Association. the only required spice is marjoram, other spices are added at the discretion of each butcher.

http://www.nuernberger-bratwuerste....Nuremberg_Bratwurst&um=Handcrafted_production

The above recipe was from a street vendor.
Here are the instructions that were included:

"Grind the meat through a 4.5mm or 6mm plate and then add all the spices and salt and mix well before passing through the grinder a second time. Stuff into sheep's casings and grill over beechwood."


~Martin
 
Tough one?

Even the Germans can't agree what it is?

Best I can tell?  To them it is a Wurst which is meant to be grilled or fried?  Browned if you will.

Seems like every city over there has their own version.

In the US, many think of the Wisconsin brat.  OK?  Came from German immigrants.  But really, who knows?

How can our markets sell "German Sausage"?  Or "Italian Sausage".

Common terms can cover a lot of ground and variations.

Good luck and good smoking.
 
You're right Merv.  There are probably 15-20 distinct styles of bratwurst in Germany.  Nürnberger are always heavy on the Marjoram and what I have eaten had a slight ginger flavor.  Compare that to Bamberg, which sweet onion and Marjoram are the characteristics.  What most American think of as bratwurst is probably closest to Thungrian.  It is all a matter of taste, which is better Carolina , Memphis, Kansas City or Texas Barbecue?  The answer is that it is the individual taste, but if you add too much sugar to Memphis Barbecue, it is not longer Maemphis style.  My 2 cents for what it is worth.
 
Hi All Thanks for the fast replies..Just might add some onion and majoram & nutmeg to my bratwurst mix..I did have a Thuringer bratwurst a few weeks back that was close to what I'm looking for.

I couldn't find a recipe for the Thuringer ones?

Thanks Again Dan

PS Martain: The link for store bought bratwurst/Karl Ehmer, was the right one, except the ones I bought were the fresh kind, already cooked but not packaged.
 
Dan, I too use the Penzey's Bratwurst Seasoning. The pkg states it is a Milwaukee type brat and the ingredients are: White Pepper, Yellow Mustard, Nutmeg and White Onion. Having said that the first time I made them per the pkg instructions and only 4 lbs (3 lbs ground pork butt and 1 lb ground veal). Tasted ok but not what I was looking for, next time I made 4 lbs I upped the seasonings.

Penzey's Modified Brats

4 lbs of meat (3 lbs Ground Pork and 1 lb Ground Veal)

From 1 TBSP per lb to 1 TBSP + 1 tsp per lb

added the following ingredients:

2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Marjoram

1 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

2 tsp Ground Sage

1 1/4 tsp Rosemary

1 tsp Paprika

1/8 tsp Mace

1/8 tsp Cayenne or 1/2 TBSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - this is a matter of personal taste and is definitely optional!

1/4 cup + 1/16 cup Good Beer

I also added 1 cup cubed Sharp Cheddar Cheese to half before stuffing in Hog Casings.

I cold smoked them (outside temps at the time were high 20's to low 30's) for 3 hours - half with Hickory and half with JD Bourbon Oak Barrel Chips. Again smoking is a personal preference.

I poached some in beer and onions last night for dinner and while having more heat than I wanted (BF loved them). These tasted the closest to any I have made so far to some we had from a butcher shop in Wisconsin. Can't wait to try some on the grill. We both agreed we like the JD Oak smoked ones better than the hickory. 
 
Hi All I added 1 tsp of marjoram and 1 tsp of onion powder to my 1 lb mix of the Penseys seasoning. Going to try a patty test latter today. The onion smelt very good, just may be the missing spice I was looking for. I also added 1 tsp of onion too Martain recipe, for a latter tatse also.

The other 3.5 lbs of ground pork will be for sweet Italain sausage.

Soooooo  many recipes sooo little time.
drool.gif


Thanks Dan
 
Hi All
Well I finally got around to tasting my newly made bratwurst & sweet Italian sausage.
The bratwurst recipes still need some adjusting, both had a strong taste of something, I'm not happy with. I really didn't taste the addition of the onion powder.
The Italain was just OK.I tripled the amount of fennel seed and added ground fennel, I could bearly taste it.
The good news is the texture was much much better then last time. Could be alittle more juicer, anything I can do to fix that?
Thanks Dan
 
Hi Al If I wanted to make hotdog/frankfruter size bratwurst, what would I need? Would like to put the bratwurst in a frank/hotdog roll.

I was thinking a smaller stuffing tube and casing, am I on the right track.

Thanks Dan
 
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