What Makes A "Real" Thuringian Rostbratwurst?

Some Thuringians long for the tempting smoke from the sausage stand around the corner when they are away from home. However, upon arriving, the advertised "real Thuringian Bratwurst" turns out to be a "Rostbratwurst Thuringian Style," an interpretation without the original taste experience. The "real" consists of specified, high-quality basic ingredients and not flavor interpretations from beyond the Sausage Equator on the ridgeway of the Thuringian Rennsteig.

Basic Ingredients of a Real Thuringian Rostbratwurst

Every real Thuringian Rostbratwurst consists of a large proportion of pork from the shoulder. According to the protected designation of origin, smaller amounts of veal or beef are also allowed. This meat is first minced, then half or individual portions are finely chopped. Basic spices are salt and pepper. Other ingredients have remained secret for hundreds of years of Thuringian Bratwurst tradition. The casing also comes from pork, in varying thicknesses. An essential and still maintained tradition is sourcing raw materials from nearby butchers and local farms or herb gardens, often from their own herb cultivation. This already practiced sustainability concept in butcheries several hundred years ago is being revived today.

This recipe sounds simple but is complemented by secret spice ingredients as a matter of family honor in almost every traditional Thuringian butcher. The taste of the "Real" also depends significantly on the feeding of the pigs and cattle in the respective region, making it seasonal and varying from butcher to butcher. However, they all have one thing in common: They come off the grill juicy and crispy and are best enjoyed right away in a sliced roll.

Their freshness is best ensured if the sausages go from the butcher to the grill within a few hours. If the raw mass has been frozen beforehand, it should be thawed slowly in cold water.

Family Recipes for the Real Thuringian Bratwurst Passed Down Through Generations

It's almost a miracle that an original recipe for the real Thuringian Bratwurst exists. It can be admired as a record of the Weimar butcher's guild regulations from 1613 in the Weimar State Archive. The family saying was always: "Namma, wos me hamm" (Take what we have). Thus, north of the Sausage Equator, the real Thuringian Rostbratwurst developed with caraway, around the mythical border with garlic, and in the south with marjoram.

Every family recipe is worth more to the next generation than an inherited house or investment account. The best butcheries are still almost solely occupied with producing their legendary Thuringian Rostbratwurst from Wednesday onwards, to have all pre-orders from the villages and surrounding areas ready on the grill by ten o'clock on Friday.

Despite strict adherence to the recipes, the real Thuringian Rostbratwurst is distinguished by slight differences in various weekly productions. Although machines support the process, family butcheries still prepare their spice mixes by hand, which results in subtle flavor differences noticeable to regular customers. However, these nuances do not constitute an unauthorized deviation from the original.

Purity Law as a Quality Seal of the Real Thuringian Rostbratwurst

Medieval hygiene conditions were significantly less stringent than today's. Therefore, a purity law was enacted for the Thuringian Rostbratwurst in 1432. According to this law, only pure meat of the specified types, freshly slaughtered and cut up, and guaranteed to be insect-free, may be minced and processed for the Thuringian Bratwurst. Offal, inferior meat parts, or sinewy components are not allowed.

Newer EU regulations stipulate that a Thuringian Rostbratwurst is only authentic if it is at least 15 centimeters long and weighs between 100 and 150 grams. It is still a matter of honor for families to meticulously adhere to these and the old purity law for each batch.

Protected Geographical Indication of the Real Thuringian Specialty

The "Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture" (BMEL) distinguishes the protection of regional specialties in Germany based on the origin of the ingredients and place of processing. This means, for example, that specialties with certain cheese components may only be prepared with a regional cheese product, but this can extend beyond the region of origin.

For the "real" Thuringian Rostbratwurst, there are three protection seals of the BMEL: It has a protected geographical indication, a protected designation of origin, and a guaranteed traditional specialty. This means no new experiments with the old Thuringian family recipes are allowed for naming rights.

Authentic Thuringian Preparation for the Real Thuringian Cultural Asset

Nothing passes the time at grill parties in Thuringia more pleasantly than the discussion on the proper and worthy preparation of the only true and real rostbratwurst from the neighboring butcher. Traditionally, it is placed raw on a charcoal grill. In some Thuringian regions, it is scalded beforehand, possibly due to the historical necessity of preservation.

All fans of the Thuringian specialty agree that fir shavings and other local woods as charcoal taste best. Some gourmets criticize the insufficient fat release in the pan, which can be easily remedied with a contact grill or a ridged grill pan. However, the original preparation remains outdoor grilling, with lots of aromatic smoke from the flavorful resins of local woods.

A traditional side dish to the "real" Thuringian Rostbratwurst is a roll for eating on the go. In restaurants or at grill parties, potato salad and herb butter are also acceptable for added flavor and as a filling side. Bratwurst fans never eat their "Real" with ketchup, but loyally and enjoyably with medium-hot mustard. Exceptions, of course, confirm the rule.

Entertaining Facts About the Real Thuringian Rostbratwurst

• Out of love for the real Thuringian Bratwurst, an American archaeologist named his dinosaur discovery at Bromacker near Tambach-Dietharz "Tambachia Trogollas" (sausage-munching dinosaur).
• Every year, a Thuringian Bratwurst King is crowned, currently Norbert I. with his grill dwarfs (as of March 2023).
• August 16th of every year is celebrated by Thuringian bratwurst fans and their guests as the official "Day of the Bratwurst."

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