Do you love to cook German bratwurst sausages served with lacto-fermented sauerkraut and traditional German potato salad? Follow this recipe to make homemade German bratwurst, and you will never want to buy it from the store again!
Why I Love German Bratwurst
The German word “wurst” means sausage, while “brat” means without waste. The origination of German bratwurst highlighted the resourcefulness of the German people during the harsh winters hundreds of years ago.
As homesteaders, we embrace a culture of resourcefulness and look for ways to maximize our pig harvest.
Selecting Kune Kune pigs provides us with a lot of fat, which we render into homemade lard. We also raise Berkshire crosses, and between these two breeds, we have lots of meat to make sausage.
Our top sausage recipes include breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, Chinese dumpling sausage, and, of course, this German bratwurst recipe. If you’d like to access them all in one convenient printable, you can grab this downloadable PDF.
German Bratwurst vs. Sausage
While German bratwurst is typically made from sausage, not all sausage is bratwurst. What differentiates the two are the ingredients.
Traditional pork bratwurst recipes can also call for beef and veal. While there are a variety of ways to season sausage, bratwurst is seasoned with a distinct selection of sweet spices to balance a hint of savory and spice.
The combination gives bratwurst its unique flavor that you won’t find in any other sausage seasoning.
Seasoning German Bratwurst
The lean-to-fat ratio for German bratwurst widely varies. While we prefer 75% lean meat with 25% pork fat for our breakfast and Italian sausage, we prefer 85% lean to 15% fat for bratwurst. We also found that measuring in grams yielded the best results.
Using a simple food scale makes measuring your lean-to-fat ratio and spice blends a snap.
| Ingredient | 1 kg. Pork (2.2 pounds) | 10 kg.Pork (22 pounds) |
| Salt | 19 grams | 190 grams |
| Marjoram | 4 grams | 40 grams |
| Pepper | 3 grams | 30 grams |
| Mace | 1 grams | 10 grams |
| Allspice | .5 grams | 5 grams |
How to Make German Bratwurst
Supplies Needed
- Meat Grinder – The most affordable option is a food processor or a KitchenAid meat grinder attachment. However, if you are making bratwurst on a large scale, we recommend an industrial meat grinder.
- Food Scale – This recipe is measured in grams. Using a food scale is also helpful in achieving the right lean-to-fat ratio.
- Sausage Casings -These sausage casings work great for bratwurst. Make sure the sausage casing size matches the size links you want to make. Watch the video for the most straightforward example of how to prepare your sausage casings.
- Sausage Stuffer – You can go with an electric sausage stuffer, but we’ve found that a hand-crank sausage stuffer is the easiest to control and have fewer parts that can break.
- Wrapping Materials – If you want to freeze your sausage links, you will need plastic wrap, freezer paper, and tape.
Ingredients Needed
You’ll want the following ingredients and the seasonings listed above measured and ready to go. The amounts will vary depending on how large your batch is, so refer to the chart above for exact amounts.
- Pork – German bratwurst can also incorporate beef and veal. Whatever combination you choose, make sure you have an 85% meat to 15% fat ratio.
- Pork Fat – If you’re not butchering your own pigs, pork fat can usually be obtained by asking a butcher.
- Seasonings – Refer to the chart above for our favorite combination of herbs and spices.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Grind meat and desired fat using a meat grinder on a large grind followed by a small grind. Remember, the ideal ratio of meat to fat is about 85%:15%.
- Mix all spices into the ground meat mixture until evenly distributed throughout.
- Take ground pork mixture and, using a hand-crank sausage stuffer and sausage casings, thread the casing onto the stuffer hose.
- Tie a knot at the end of the casing and begin filling the casings with the ground meat.
- To keep sausage from getting piled up in a heap, arrange it on the counter in a large spiral (as shown in the video).
- Once the entire casing is filled, tie off the other end and begin twisting into desired-sized links.
- Package brats into serving sizes. Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and then again in freezer paper. Label and date your packages.
- Freeze for up to one year.
- Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and cook thoroughly until sausages reach 165°F.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star⭐rating and your comments in the recipe card below. This really helps us out, and we love to get feedback. Also, snap a photo of your German bratwurst and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
FAQ’s
German bratwurst uses pork, beef, and veal. Sweet spices like mace and allspice balance the savory and spicy flavors.
Start by pre-heating the grill well. Cook the bratwurst to the right temperature (165°F) and avoid overcooking or using the wrong meat-to-fat ratio. Serve with German sides like sauerkraut and potatoes for a traditional meal.
Store bratwurst in airtight containers in the fridge. You can also wrap it in plastic or freeze it. Proper storage keeps your bratwurst fresh and flavorful.
American bratwursts tend to be larger and use only pork, while German bratwursts are smaller and can also use veal or beef.
Sausage can be seasoned in various ways, but bratwurst has a specific mix of spices that creates its distinct flavor.
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe
- Italian Sausage
- Chinese Dumpling Sausage
- Wild Game Sausage
- Rendering Lard (or Tallow) for Homestead Cooking
- How to Cure Bacon
German Bratwurst Recipe
Equipment
- Meat Grinder
- Food Scale
- Sausage Casings
- Sausage Stuffer
- Plastic Wrap optional
- Freezer Paper optional
- Tape optional
Ingredients
- 850 grams pork cubed
- 150 grams pork fat cubed
- 19 grams salt
- 4 grams margoram
- 3 grams pepper
- 1 gram mace
- .5 grams allspice
Instructions
- Grind meat and desired fat using a meat grinder on a large grind followed by a small grind. Remember, the ideal ratio of meat to fat is about 15%.
- Mix all spices into the ground meat mixture until evenly distributed throughout.
- Take ground pork mixture and, using a hand-crank sausage stuffer and sausage casings, thread the casing onto the stuffer hose.
- Tie a knot at the end of the casing and begin filling the casings with the ground meat.
- To keep sausage from getting piled up in a heap, arrange it on the counter in a large spiral (as shown in the video).
- Once the entire casing is filled, tie off the other end and begin twisting into desired-sized links.
- Package brats into serving sizes. Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and then again in freezer paper.
- Freeze for up to one year.
- Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and cook thoroughly until sausages reach 165°F.
Notes
| Ingredient | 1 kg. Pork (2.2 pounds) | 10 kg.Pork (22 pounds) |
| Salt | 19 grams | 190 grams |
| Marjoram | 4 grams | 40 grams |
| Pepper | 3 grams | 30 grams |
| Mace | 1 grams | 10 grams |
| Allspice | .5 grams | 5 grams |
