Fast Answer
Germany has around 1,500 wurst varieties, but most home cooks only need to know a handful. The key practical question for any of them: is it raw or precooked? Bratwurst and Weisswurst are raw and must be fully cooked. Knockwurst, Bockwurst, and Frankfurters are usually precooked and just need heating through.
Dan from Stoltzfus Meats showing me his wurst.
What My Butcher Dan Taught Me About Wurst
Most of what I knew about German sausage before those Saturday mornings came from eating hot dogs and the occasional bratwurst at a cookout — which is to say, not much.
Dan is the one who walked me through what actually separates a Bratwurst from a Knockwurst from a Bockwurst, and more usefully, which ones you grill, which ones you only ever simmer, and which ones need no cooking at all. That’s the part most wurst articles skip in favor of a history lesson. Here’s the practical version.
Parboil at a gentle simmer, then grill or pan-fry to finish. Never pierce the casing.
Serve with: spicy mustard, sauerkraut, potato salad, hard roll
Warm gently in water below a simmer. Never grill, never boil hard.
Serve with: sweet mustard, pretzel, wheat beer — casing peeled off, not eaten
Poach or steam to heat through. Can also be grilled.
Serve with: rye bread, mustard, a Bock beer
Simmer gently just to heat through — the thick casing is meant to crack when you bite it.
Serve with: mustard, sauerkraut, rye bread
Just needs warming — a quick simmer or a light char on the grill.
Serve with: bun, mustard — purists say never ketchup
No cooking needed — served cold, straight from the casing.
Serve with: pumpernickel, raw onion
Sliced and pan-fried until the edges crisp.
Serve with: sautéed apples, onions, mashed potatoes
Steamed, then fried, then sliced.
Serve with: curry ketchup, fries — classic Berlin street food
Start Here
- Germany has roughly 1,500 wurst varieties, grouped into three broad categories: Rohwurst (raw, must be cooked), Brühwurst (scalded/precooked, just needs heating), and Dauerwurst (cured or dried, ready to eat as-is).
- The single most useful question before cooking any wurst: is this raw or already cooked? Guessing wrong either undercooks a raw sausage or wastes a precooked one by boiling it into mush.
- Most wurst you'll find in the US falls into a handful of familiar types — Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Bockwurst, Knockwurst, Frankfurter, Leberwurst, Blutwurst, and Currywurst — covered below.
What Each Wurst Is:
| Wurst | Raw or Precooked | Flavor and Texture |
|---|---|---|
| Bratwurst | Raw — must be fully cooked | Finely chopped pork, smooth texture, seasoned with nutmeg, coriander, or caraway depending on region |
| Weisswurst | Raw — must be cooked gently | Delicate and mild — veal and pork back bacon, parsley, lemon, mace |
| Bockwurst | Usually precooked | Fine grind, mildly garlicky, white pepper and paprika — named for its pairing with Bock beer, not its flavor |
| Knockwurst | Usually precooked | Garlicky, thick casing that's meant to crack when you bite it |
| Frankfurter | Fully precooked | Finely ground, lightly spiced — the wurst that became the American hot dog |
| Leberwurst | Precooked, spreadable | Smooth and rich, at least 30% liver |
| Blutwurst | Precooked | Dense and earthy — pork blood, meat, fat, often barley, seasoned with allspice and thyme |
| Currywurst | Precooked | Not a distinct flavor of its own — a preparation, not a recipe: sliced pork sausage finished with curry ketchup |
How to Cook Each:
| Wurst | How to Cook It | Serve It With |
|---|---|---|
| Bratwurst | Parboil at a gentle simmer (never a hard boil), 12–15 minutes, then finish on the grill or in a hot pan. Don't pierce the casing. | Spicy mustard, sauerkraut or potato salad, hard roll |
| Weisswurst | Warm in water kept just below a simmer. Never grill, never boil hard. | Sweet mustard, pretzel, wheat beer — casing peeled off, not eaten |
| Bockwurst | Simmer gently to heat through, or grill | Rye bread, mustard, a Bock beer |
| Knockwurst | Simmer gently to heat through | Mustard, sauerkraut, rye bread |
| Frankfurter | Quick simmer or a light char on the grill | Bun, mustard — purists say never ketchup |
| Leberwurst | No cooking — served cold | Pumpernickel, raw onion |
| Blutwurst | Slice and pan-fry until the edges crisp | Sautéed apples, onions, mashed potatoes |
| Currywurst | Steamed, then fried, then sliced | Curry ketchup, fries — classic Berlin street food |
Regional Notes
- Bratwurst has dozens of regional versions — Nürnberger is small and thin, Thüringer is larger with a stronger marjoram flavor.
- Currywurst isn't a distinct sausage so much as a preparation — Berlin street food, not a regional tradition tied to any one sausage.
What Most Cooks Get Wrong
- Piercing the casing before or during cooking — it feels like it should prevent bursting, but it just lets the juices escape and dries the sausage out.
- Treating every wurst like a Bratwurst. Grilling a Weisswurst the same way ruins it; it's meant to stay pale and be gently warmed, not browned.
- Not knowing whether what you bought is raw or precooked. Check the packaging or ask — cooking a precooked sausage like it's raw just dries it out for nothing.
- Assuming "Brockwurst" is a real, distinct type. It isn't — it's almost always a misspelling of Bockwurst.
Worth the Upgrade?
- Worth it: Finding an actual German butcher or purveyor, the way Stoltzfus Meats was for me. Dan's wurst had a texture and seasoning balance I never found in a supermarket casing.
- Not worth it: Paying a premium for a "German-style" label at a regular grocery store without checking what's actually in it — the difference between that and a real Bratwurst is usually bigger than the price tag suggests.
Classifications
German wurst, or sausage, can be broadly classified into three general categories: fresh sausages, cooked sausages, and dry or cured sausages. Each classification encompasses a variety of specific types, reflecting diverse preparation methods and flavor profiles.
| Classification | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh Sausages (Rohwurst) | Made from raw meat and must be cooked before eating. Often includes pork, beef, or veal, and a blend of spices. |
Bratwurst: Regional varieties; usually grilled or fried and served hot. Weisswurst: Bavarian sausage made with veal and back bacon, traditionally boiled and eaten before noon. |
| Cooked Sausages (Brühwurst) | Made from finely ground meat that is cooked. Typically enjoyed hot or cold, often with bread and mustard. |
Bockwurst: Made from veal and pork, seasoned with white pepper and paprika, usually boiled. Leberwurst: Liver sausage, smooth or coarse, spreadable and served cold on bread. |
| Dry or Cured Sausages (Dauerwurst) | Raw meat sausages that are fermented, air-dried or smoked. Long shelf life with bold flavor. |
Salami: Made from pork and beef, seasoned, fermented, and air-dried for a firm texture. Teewurst: Spreadable raw pork and bacon sausage, lightly smoked and air-cured. |
The Wurst FAQ
What’s the difference between Bratwurst and Knockwurst? Bratwurst is a raw, finely chopped pork sausage that must be fully cooked — usually parboiled, then grilled. Knockwurst is shorter, thicker, garlickier, and usually precooked, so it only needs to be heated through.
Is Bratwurst precooked? No. Bratwurst is a raw sausage (Rohwurst) and needs to be fully cooked before eating — typically parboiled, then finished on a grill or in a pan.
Can you grill Weisswurst? No, traditionally you don’t. Weisswurst is delicate and meant to be gently warmed in water below a simmer, not grilled or boiled hard, which can split the casing and toughen the texture.
Do you eat the casing on Weisswurst? No. The casing is peeled or “sucked” off (a tradition called zuzeln) rather than eaten, since the water-warming process leaves it soft rather than crisp.
What’s the difference between Bockwurst and Brockwurst? There isn’t one — “Brockwurst” isn’t a real, distinct sausage type. It’s almost always a misspelling of Bockwurst, a veal-and-pork sausage traditionally paired with Bock beer.
Do you put ketchup on a Frankfurter? Purists say no — mustard is the traditional condiment, and ketchup is considered a departure from tradition on a true Frankfurter-style sausage. Plenty of people do it anyway.
What’s the difference between Bratwurst and Knockwurst? Bratwurst is a raw, finely chopped pork sausage that must be fully cooked — usually parboiled, then grilled. Knockwurst is shorter, thicker, garlickier, and usually precooked, so it only needs to be heated through.
Is Bratwurst precooked? No. Bratwurst is a raw sausage (Rohwurst) and needs to be fully cooked before eating — typically parboiled, then finished on a grill or in a pan.
Can you grill Weisswurst? No, traditionally you don’t. Weisswurst is delicate and meant to be gently warmed in water below a simmer, not grilled or boiled hard, which can split the casing and toughen the texture.
Do you eat the casing on Weisswurst? No. The casing is peeled or “sucked” off (a tradition called zuzeln) rather than eaten, since the water-warming process leaves it soft rather than crisp.
What’s the difference between Bockwurst and Brockwurst? There isn’t one — “Brockwurst” isn’t a real, distinct sausage type. It’s almost always a misspelling of Bockwurst, a veal-and-pork sausage traditionally paired with Bock beer.
Do you put ketchup on a Frankfurter? Purists say no — mustard is the traditional condiment, and ketchup is considered a departure from tradition on a true Frankfurter-style sausage. Plenty of people do it anyway.
Bratwurst with Sauerkraut & Mustard Recipe
Check out my simple but delicious recipe for Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and homemade mustard.
12 Responses
The best wurst I have eaten is Usinger’s, Milwaukee, WI. Available on-line.
One of my favourite reasons for visiting Germany is to eat the local sausages! Thanks for the article.
You are welcome arrandenham. I am impressed with how much sausage you guys are producing. I’ll have to give it a try soon. – RG
I remember back in the late 50’s early 60’s my grandfather and uncles would get together on a weekend, go down to the butcher and get big pieces of pork butt, lots of garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and forget the rest and I would help make what they called wurstie. My family all came from Romania. I wish I had there recipe. They even hung some in the cold seller to cure. It was great stuff!!!!
Sounds like good times Nicholas.
I’m trying to find out if there is a difference between Brockwurst and Bockwurst-?
Bratwurst and Bockwurst are both German sausages, but they differ in ingredients, preparation, and taste.
Bratwurst is made primarily from pork, sometimes mixed with beef or veal. It has a coarse texture, is seasoned with nutmeg, coriander, or caraway, and is typically grilled or pan-fried.
Bockwurst is made mainly from veal and pork, with a finer texture and a milder, slightly garlicky flavor. It is traditionally boiled or steamed rather than grilled.
While bratwurst is more common in general German cuisine, bockwurst is often enjoyed with Bock beer, especially in Bavaria.
Could you provide more examples in your next write-up?
Simple, effective, and easy to understand.
Very helpful insights. Looking forward to reading more.
Simple, effective, and easy to understand.
Thanks Isabella