Bratwurst is a family of German fresh sausages, not one universal formula. This home-kitchen version combines pork shoulder and veal with milk-soaked breadcrumbs, white pepper, and nutmeg, then stuffs the mixture into hog casings. It makes about 16 four-inch links, or eight servings.
What is bratwurst?
Bratwurst is a type of sausage with many regional German styles. The meat, grind, seasonings, size, and serving method vary from place to place. Nuremberg’s protected sausages are small pork links seasoned with marjoram and made without filler, while Thuringian bratwurst is a longer regional specialty. Milk, breadcrumbs, or soaked rolls appear in some other regional and home recipes, but they are not universal. For a broader guide, see our overview of German sausage varieties.
The history is regional rather than a single invention story. Nuremberg’s tourism authority traces city sausage rules to 1313, while Thuringia’s tourism authority documents a reference to bratwurst casings from 1404. Both names now have protected regional status. This pork-and-veal recipe is a practical home adaptation, not a claim to reproduce either protected formula.
Homemade bratwurst recipe
- Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours
- Yield: about 16 four-inch links (8 servings)
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 cup cold whole milk
- 2 pounds cold veal shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 pounds cold pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 30 grams fine sea salt (about 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- 8 to 10 feet prepared 32- to 35-millimeter hog casing, or the amount directed on the package
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, for browning
Before you start: keep the mixture cold
Wash your hands and clean the grinder, bowls, work surface, and stuffing equipment before and after they contact raw meat. Keep the meat at or below 40 degrees F (4 degrees C), and chill the removable grinder parts until they are very cold but not frozen solid. Work in small batches and return the mixture to the refrigerator if it begins to warm. Follow the casing manufacturer’s rinsing and soaking directions rather than relying on one soaking time for every casing.
Directions
- Place the removable grinder parts in the refrigerator or freezer for about 30 minutes. Set a clean mixing bowl over a larger bowl of ice.
- Stir the breadcrumbs and cold milk together. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk.
- Grind the chilled veal and pork through a coarse plate into the chilled bowl. Pass the ground meat through a fine plate once more, keeping the bowl over ice.
- Add the salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and chilled breadcrumb mixture. Mix with a sturdy spoon or clean gloved hands just until the sausage mixture looks even and slightly tacky. Do not let it become warm.
- Cook a teaspoon-size test patty to 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), then taste it. Never taste the raw mixture. Adjust the seasoning only after tasting the cooked sample.
- Thread the prepared casing onto a sausage stuffer. Fill it steadily without packing it so tightly that it may burst. Twist into approximately four-inch links. Use a clean sausage pricker only on visible air pockets; do not routinely pierce every link.
- Place the finished links on a clean tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Keep them refrigerated until cooking.
- For the skillet method, arrange the links in one layer and add about one-half inch of water. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once.
- Uncover the skillet and drain any remaining water. Add the oil and brown the links over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning regularly. Check the center of a sausage with an instant-read thermometer; fresh pork-and-veal sausage must reach 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).
- Rest the cooked bratwurst for 3 minutes, then serve hot.
Homemade Bratwurst Recipe (Pork and Veal)
Make pork-and-veal bratwurst at home with clear grinding, stuffing, skillet, and grilling steps, plus USDA-recommended temperatures and storage.
Type: Main Dish
Cuisine: German
Keywords: bratwurst recipe, homemade bratwurst, pork and veal sausage, how to make bratwurst
Recipe Yield: About 16 four-inch links (8 servings)
Preparation Time: PT1H30M
Cooking Time: PT30M
Total Time: PT2H
Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 cup cold whole milk
- 2 pounds cold veal shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 pounds cold pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 30 grams fine sea salt (about 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- 8 to 10 feet prepared 32- to 35-millimeter hog casing, or the amount directed on the package
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, for browning
Recipe Instructions: 1. Chill the removable grinder parts for about 30 minutes and set a clean mixing bowl over ice. 2. Combine the breadcrumbs and cold milk; refrigerate for 10 minutes. 3. Grind the chilled veal and pork through a coarse plate, then through a fine plate, keeping the bowl cold. 4. Mix in the salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and chilled breadcrumb mixture just until even and slightly tacky. 5. Cook a small test patty to 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), taste it, and adjust seasoning if needed; never taste raw sausage mixture. 6. Stuff the prepared casing without overpacking it, twist into about 16 four-inch links, and prick only visible air pockets with a clean sausage pricker. 7. Refrigerate the links for 30 minutes. 8. Arrange the links in one skillet layer, add about one-half inch of water, cover, and gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. 9. Drain the skillet, add the oil, and brown the links for 8 to 10 minutes, turning regularly, until the centers reach 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). 10. Rest for 3 minutes and serve hot.
Grilling bratwurst
Fresh bratwurst can go directly onto a medium grill; boiling is not required. Cook over moderate heat, turning regularly, until evenly browned and the center reaches 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), usually 20 to 25 minutes depending on thickness and grill temperature. If you use the covered-skillet step first, move the sausages directly to the grill to finish them rather than partially cooking and holding them for later.
How to serve bratwurst
Serve bratwurst in a toasted roll with mustard and warm sauerkraut, or plate it with rye bread, vegetables, German potato salad, or potato dumplings. Beer is a familiar pairing, but it is optional; cider, sparkling water, or one of the country’s regional German wines also works.
What about beer bratwurst?
Beer-braised bratwurst is a separate cooking method, not an ingredient in this homemade sausage mixture. You can gently simmer the finished links with onions and beer before browning, but the beer does not replace the need to verify a 160-degree F (71-degree C) internal temperature. Use stock or apple cider for an alcohol-free version.
Food safety and storage
The USDA advises cooking fresh sausage made with ground beef, pork, lamb, or veal to 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). Poultry sausage requires 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). A thermometer is more reliable than color or cooking time.
Refrigerate uncooked fresh bratwurst at 40 degrees F (4 degrees C) or colder and use it within 1 to 2 days. Cooked bratwurst keeps for 3 to 4 days. For best quality, freeze raw links for 1 to 2 months or cooked links for 2 to 3 months. Thaw frozen sausage in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Frequently asked questions
Is bratwurst different from sausage?
Bratwurst is a type of sausage. The term covers several regional styles, so there is no single meat blend, casing size, or seasoning profile shared by every bratwurst.
Do I need to prick bratwurst while it cooks?
No. Routine piercing lets moisture and fat escape and can dry the sausage. Prick only a visible air pocket while stuffing, using a clean sausage pricker.
Can I replace the pork or veal?
A substitution changes the flavor, texture, fat balance, and possibly the safe cooking temperature, so treat it as a different recipe. If you make sausage with chicken or turkey, cook it to 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
