Overwhelmed by the broad display of options at your favorite charcuterie? Take a while to read on before heading on to the shop for your next German sausage. In this post, I will introduce the 4 main types of German sausages and how to cook them. There are about 1,500 available varieties in sausages, understanding them, or perhaps their culinary use may seem rather overwhelmed. To complicate further, replicating any authentically-replicate sausage cooking recipe can be hard as it’s a closely-guarded secret amongst local deli owners. However, an understanding of these varieties for consumption or cooking should be helpful in increasing your culinary knowledge. And perhaps, understanding the type of sausages better can also help you pick up your next favorite which you have long been hesitant to try. Toggle for Table of Contents German Sausages VarietiesLet’s start by breaking down these types of German sausages into four primary categories. #1. The RohwurstRoh is the German term for raw, hence the name Rohwurst. These sausages are made from fresh ingredients with some intended to be eaten in this raw state. To make these sausages safe for consumption, they should only be prepared with fresh meat of the highest quality. Also, Rohwursts are cured with the addition of salt in more than usual quantities, and sodium nitrite, then allowed to ferment. These raw fermented sausages are usually cold-smoked. Some examples would be the Teewurst, and the Mettwurst. #2. The BratwurstIn German, brat means fried, and wurst means sausage. The term bratwurst then straightforwardly translates to a sausage that is intended to be fried. Though not limited to frying, this only implies that these sausages are never to be eaten raw. Bratwursts are fresh sausages, meaning they are made with raw ingredients which end up stuffed into a casing or a mold. They are not cured nor smoked and thus need refrigeration for proper storage and must properly cook before consumption. Some bratwursts though are parboiled to extend their shelf-life considerably but still require further cooking before they can be safe to eat. These sausages are usually baked, grilled, or of course pan-fried. These types of German sausages are typically regarded for snacking and usually served in a white bread roll eaten with a condiment of mustard. It is very popular among street vendors in German-speaking countries. Some examples would be:
#3. The BruhwurstBruhwurst sausages do not represent any specific type of German sausage. This terms instead represents sausages that are fully cooked in hot water before sale. Bruhen in German means to scald with hot water. Bruhwursts then, like most other sausages from around the world are boiled to a fully cooked internal temperature of 170 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius). Any meat may be used for this category – pork, veal, beef, poultry, or a combination of such. The meat usually starts as raw, cured, then mostly smoked. This category of German sausages can be further classified into:
#4. The Kochwurst“To cook,” in German, translates Kochen. Kochwursts, therefore are sausages with ingredients that are cooked prior to the preparation of the sausage meat. Then filled into casings, and cooked once more, usually in hot water. This type of German sausage can safe be eaten right away, even cold, but may also be heated if desired. Some varieties that will fall under this category would be Leberwurst, Kochmettwurst, and Blutwurst. Tips in Cooking SausagesA knowledge of this basic classification of German sausages would certainly get you all set with confidence in serving them or incorporating them into your next recipe. Here would be some kitchen tips based on the given characteristics for each category:
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Picking the Best Types of German SausagesPicking the best types of German sausage can be tough because all of the are delicious and unique in their own way. This question is no different to being asked of which Swiss cheese you should use. With the wide selection available, it boils down to personal preference. The Frankfurter is the popular pick, but Wurstchens is the better pick in my opinion. Wurstchens are not a category on its own and may come from one of the four primary ones discussed above. They are by definition, relatively little sausages named after the German term Wurst, meaning small. Due to the convenience of practically eating these little sausages anytime, anywhere, Wurstchens are among the most famous types of German sausages. They can be had anywhere from a meal to in-between-meal snacks. Here are the most distinct varieties that fall under this sub-category:
Weisswurst – The White Garman SausageHere’s one interesting type of sausage worth mentioning on its own. Weisswursts, or white German sausages as the name translates to in English (Weiss means white). A Weisswurst is typically made out of beef, veal, and pork that is finely minced; then seasoned with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger, and cardamom. So what makes these sausages worth the extra mention? Well, they are white for one reason, but there’s actually more to this rather extraordinary color.
Today, these white German sausages are parboiled before their sale, putting them under the category of Bruhwursts. They have to be heated once more to cook thoroughly before eating, and sidelines like a salty pretzel and a dollop of sweet mustard are a good combination to serve together. And....Oktoberfest is where you are going to get a lot and lot of these white German sausages and many other local delicious delicacies. RecommendationsI honestly haven’t sampled close to the 1,500 types of German sausages available, but whenever I have a chance I will try out as many types of German sausages as possible since I love sausages. Let me know if you have any good recommendation, and probably your suggestion might just help me to pick the next best German sausage to serve for my next BBQ round, for which I’ll thank you in advance! And if you going to Germany soon, watch this short video on what sausages to eat while in Germany. Related Popular Posts The post Introducing the 4 Best Types of German Sausages (White German Sausage & More) appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen.
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A thickening agent is a gel or powder which can be added to sauces, soups, gravies, or puddings to increase their viscosity without altering their properties. Most thickening agents are made of proteins such as gelatin or eggs, or polysaccharides i.e. starch, pectin, or vegetable gums Thickeners are always added in the final stages of preparing food. The choice of a thickening agent is determined by the kind of recipe in play because of the difference in taste, clarity, and reaction to the physical and chemical situations. Toggle for Table of Contents Thickening MethodGelatinizationGelatinization is the process which is used for producing thickening agents made of starch. Here, cold water is added to the starch, and the starch granules absorb most of the liquid, and after being added to the food ingredients under heat, they absorb more liquid. The whole process leads to amalgamation of the molecules which cause the sauce to stiffen. Starch thickeners are usually from arrow roots, wheat, corn, potatoes, or tapioca, and they are used in gravies and sauces. The Most Common Thickening AgentsWhitewashWhitewash is a mixture of wheat flour and cold water. The mixture is whisked until it is smooth, then it is added to a bubbling liquid, and left to cook until the raw taste of flour is removed. It turns opaque when it is added to a sauce and may thin out if cooked for long. Whitewash leaves a velvety feeling in the mouth, although it lacks flavor or a subtle texture. Since wheat flour is made up of proteins and starch, it is suitable for stews, sauces, gravies, fruit fillings, and gumbos. RouxRoux is a cooked mixture of flour and fat like margarine, animal fats, clarified butter, vegetable oil, and shortening, or rendered meat drippings. Clarified butter is the most preferred type of fat due to its flavor. Clarified butter makes the roux easy to work as it lacks moisture and does not gelatinize the starch and margarine is the most common choice since it’s cheaper compared to other fats. Animal fats, on the other hand, are chosen according to their flavor, for example, chicken fat can be used for chicken veloute’ while beef drippings can be utilized for beef gravy. Lastly, although the vegetable oil and shortening is used in making roux, it does add flavor to the sauce or soups. The stages of a roux
Beurre manié (burr mahnyay)Beurre manié is a mixture of equal measures of raw butter and flour whisked together to produce a smooth and a well-blended paste. The Beurre manié is then added to a bubbling sauce and stirred until it is smooth, and then it is simmered for a few minutes to allow the flour to cook. The raw butter gives the sauce a unique taste and adds sheen after melting. Liaison (lee-ay-zohn)Liaison is a mixture of beaten egg yolk and cream that can be used in sauces and soups to enhance its flavor, texture, and thicken them. However, the liaison can only stay no more than one minute in cooking and must hold under 180 Fahrenheit (80-degree Celsius) to prevent the eggs from curdling. Quick steps to add the liaison to the soup or sauce:
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CornstarchCornstarch is mixed with cold water or other cold fluids until it is smooth, and later stir in and simmered until the liquid loses the starchy taste and becomes clear. However, prolonged boiling may break down the starch and thin out the liquid. Cornstarch is appropriate for sweet sauces as an accompaniment of some types of meats, desserts, and dessert sauces due to its glossy texture. Arrowroot or tapiocaThey are expensive to acquire since they are found in rhizomes of South American plants. Hence they are not frequently used. It gives a clearer and high-quality sauce than cornstarch since it does not contain any gluten. Arrowroot is more appropriate to use for acidic foods since it does not lose its thickening potency. Also, it is the most suitable choice in cases where the food is to be frozen. Tapioca is an appropriate thickening agent for preparing foods like the strawberry rhubarb pie. SlurryWhen creating a slurry, corn starch is added to a little cold water and then stirred into a simmering sauce. The mixture is then simmered until it loses its starchy flavor. The slurry is the easiest thickening method since it is created instantly to form a glossy appearance. Learn more about preparing interesting food with using slurry here. Potato starchThis starch is coming from potatoes which are added into cold water whisked together and then stirred into simmering liquid. It forms thick and translucent gravies, stews, or soups because it does not contain gluten. Additionally, the potato starch thickener has numerous health benefits such as increasing fiber in the body, lowering the plasma cholesterol, and a source of energy. Vegetable GumsVegetable gums are an example of thickening agents obtained from land or sea sources, for instance, some seaweed contains carrageenan and alginates while locust bean gum, guar, and pectin are derived from plants. The polysaccharides in vegetable gums enhance its viscosity properties. The main vegetable gums include:
Choice of Thickening Agents MattersThickening agents can be used to thicken the sauces and stews as well as add flavor and a glistening sheen. The right selection of a thickening agent can make a dish either delicious while a wrong choice can ruin the food and taste. So before you start to cook with thickening agents, make sure you understand each of the agent's characteristics and use it correctly so you can have the outcome you wanted. By the way, if you regularly cook with essential oil, we have a post covering some excellent information about cooking with essential oil that you might want to check out. And if you love to drink tea like me, the 10 benefits of drinking nutmeg tea post might be of interest to you. Or, if using herb is part of your cooking routine, then the 15 ideas to cook with thyme is a great post you can spend your afternoon reading. Happy cooking! Related Popular Posts The post 9 Best Thickening Agents That Make Your Soup & Sauce a Masterpiece appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen. |
AuthorI've been the cooking for my family since 2009, and my passion for cooking grew stronger each day. Whenever I have time, I love to blog about my culinary experiences and how my kitchen has trained me to become a better chef for my family and friends. Archives
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