Bregenwurst

🍖 With meat or fish

Bregenwurst, also known as Brägenwurst, is a German sausage of the Mettwurst type, lightly smoked and spreadable once removed from its casing. It is commonly served in parts of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, and its name refers to brain, an ingredient that is now rarely used.

History

The name comes from the Low German words Bregen or Brägen, meaning brain or head, a reminder that the original recipe included pig or cattle brain alongside lean pork, pork belly, onion, salt and pepper. Over time, brain has disappeared from most versions.

The European Union banned the use of animal brains in foodstuffs in 2001 following BSE outbreaks, which changed how the sausage is made in practice.

Culture

It is eaten raw, as a spreadable sausage, or stewed. In winter it is served with Grünkohl, kale that is cooked alongside the sausage for around 30 minutes. It is a home-style dish from northern Germany, associated with family meals in the cold season.

Trivia

EU ban. Since 2001 the European Union has not allowed animal brains in foodstuffs, due to BSE outbreaks. This is why the traditional recipe has changed.

A dialect name. The word comes from Low German, a regional language of northern Germany, and means brain.