Chef Klaus
Berlin Currywurst
The Berlin Imbiss counter on a plate: fried sausage cut thick, a tomato curry sauce cooked until glossy, and enough fries or bread to chase every bit.
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Nürnberger Rostbratwürste
Created by
Three small Franconian sausages in one crusty roll, grilled hot enough to crisp the casing but gently enough to keep the fat inside.
Sandwiches & Wraps
German
BBQ
Game Day
Weeknight
15 min
Active Time
20 min cook•35 min total
Yield4 servings
Nürnberger Rostbratwürste belong to Franconia first, not to the whole country pretending one sausage fits all. They are finger-small pork links, heavy with marjoram, grilled over beech and eaten as drei im Weggla, three in a little crusty roll, or set over sauerkraut with bread and mustard. Weeknight food, market-stall food, football food. Das ist kein Bierzelt.
Im Norden anders, im Süden anders. Thuringia wants a longer bratwurst, coarse and strong with caraway or garlic. Bavaria has its white sausage morning ritual. Nuremberg keeps the sausage short, fine, and quick over the fire, because the size is the point: more browned casing, less waiting, a clean snap under the teeth.
The technique is heat control. You grill them over a steady medium-hot fire, turning often, because a Nürnberger is too small to forgive you. Too fierce and the casing splits before the fat renders; too cool and the sausage dries while the skin sulks. Runter mit der Temperatur when flare-ups start, then back over the heat once the fire behaves.
Use good raw Nürnberger from a butcher if you can get them, protected ones if you are near the source. Outside Franconia, buy the closest small fresh pork bratwurst with marjoram and cook it honestly. Nicht aus dem Glas matters for the kraut too: rinse only if it is harsh, warm it with onion, apple, and a little pork fat, and keep the liquor. Weggeworfen wird nichts.
Nürnberger Rostbratwürste were recorded in Nuremberg as early as 1313, when city rules already governed the work of the local sausage makers and protected the quality of the meat. The modern protected geographical indication, granted in the European Union in 2003, requires production in Nuremberg and fixes the small size, about 7 to 9 centimetres long and 20 to 25 grams each, with marjoram as the defining spice. Their famous serving, drei im Weggla, three in a small roll, belongs to the city's market-stall culture as much as to the tavern table.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
raw Nürnberger Rostbratwürste
Quantity
24
kept cold until grilling
small crusty white rolls (Weggla or Brötchen)
Quantity
8
sauerkraut
Quantity
250g
drained, with a little liquor reserved
onion
Quantity
1 small
finely sliced
tart apple
Quantity
1 small
grated
lard or neutral oil
Quantity
1 tablespoon
bay leaf
Quantity
1
juniper berries
Quantity
4
lightly crushed
caraway seeds (optional)
Quantity
1 teaspoon
German medium-hot mustard
Quantity
to serve
salt and black pepper
Quantity
to taste
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| raw Nürnberger Rostbratwürstekept cold until grilling | 24 |
| small crusty white rolls (Weggla or Brötchen) | 8 |
| sauerkrautdrained, with a little liquor reserved | 250g |
| onionfinely sliced | 1 small |
| tart applegrated | 1 small |
| lard or neutral oil | 1 tablespoon |
| bay leaf | 1 |
| juniper berrieslightly crushed | 4 |
| caraway seeds (optional) | 1 teaspoon |
| German medium-hot mustard | to serve |
| salt and black pepper | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Charcoal grill or heavy cast-iron pan
- •Tongs
- •Small saucepan for sauerkraut
Instructions
- 1
Warm the kraut
Melt the lard in a small pan and soften the onion until it turns glossy, not brown, because burnt onion makes the kraut bitter. Add the sauerkraut, grated apple, bay, juniper, caraway if using, and two spoonfuls of the reserved kraut liquor. Warm it gently for 15 minutes so the apple rounds the acid and the liquor stays in the pan where the flavour is.
- 2
Set the fire
Build a medium-hot charcoal fire, beech if you have it, and let the flames die down before the sausages go on. You want steady heat, not drama. A hand held above the grate should last about 4 seconds; hotter than that and these small links split before the fat has time to render.
No grill, use a heavy cast-iron pan with a thin film of oil over medium heat. The rule stays the same: steady heat and frequent turning. - 3
Grill and turn
Lay the cold sausages across the grate and turn them every minute or two, moving them away from flare-ups as soon as fat hits the coals. The small size gives you fast browning, but it also punishes neglect; turning often keeps the casing crisp all around and stops one side from bursting while the centre is still catching up.
- 4
Check doneness
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the casings are deeply browned in patches and the sausages feel firm with a little spring. If you check with a thermometer, the centre should reach 71C. Do not stab them to see if juice runs clear; that is how you throw the best part into the fire.
- 5
Serve three each
Split the rolls from the top and tuck three sausages into each one, the old drei im Weggla. Spoon in a little warm kraut if you want it, then mustard at the end so its sharpness stays bright. Würzen, Fett, Salz zum Schluss. Serve the rest of the kraut beside the rolls and eat while the casing still has its snap.
Chef Tips
- •Buy raw Nürnberger if you can, not pale pre-cooked cocktail sausages. The fresh sausage browns, renders, and tightens on the grill; a cooked one only reheats and goes leathery.
- •Marjoram is the signpost. If your butcher's small bratwurst tastes mostly of smoke, garlic, or sugar, it belongs to another table.
- •Keep the sausages cold until they hit the grate. Cold fat renders more slowly, which gives the casing time to brown before the inside dries out.
- •Use medium-hot mustard. Sweet mustard belongs with Weisswurst in Munich, a different ritual and a different sausage.
Advance Preparation
- •The sauerkraut can be warmed a day ahead and reheated gently with a spoonful of water or kraut liquor.
- •Do not grill the sausages ahead. They are small, and reheating turns the casing tough. Cook them when people are ready to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 350g)
Calories
765 calories
Total Fat
42 g
Saturated Fat
15 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
27 g
Cholesterol
100 mg
Sodium
2550 mg
Total Carbohydrates
68 g
Dietary Fiber
7 g
Sugars
11 g
Protein
31 g
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