Nuremberg's finger-sized, marjoram-seasoned bratwurst has been made to the same recipe since 1313 and grilled over beechwood charcoal, six or twelve at a time, never fewer.
About Bratwurst
Nuremberg's protected finger-sized grilling sausage, pork seasoned with marjoram, the herb that distinguishes it from every other German bratwurst; grilled over beechwood charcoal and served six or a dozen at a time in a bread roll with mustard; the Nuremberg Bratwurst has EU protected geographical status and has been made to the same recipe since 1313.
Nuremberg's Sausage
Among Germany's many bratwurst, Nuremberg's holds protected geographical status, the only one to do so. It is finger-thin, three or four to a portion, made from pork seasoned with marjoram, the herb that defines its flavour, and grilled over beechwood charcoal for a lightly smoky skin. The recipe has been documented in the city for centuries.
“Among Germany's many bratwurst, Nuremberg's holds protected geographical status, the only one to do so.”
The Service
Nuremberg bratwursts are sold six or twelve at a time, tucked into a crusty roll, a Weckle, with mustard, or served on a plate with sauerkraut and horseradish. They are small enough to eat in two bites, which is why the portions run high. At the Christkindlesmarkt in December, vendors grill them by the rack for queues that wind around the market square.
A Sausage of Place
The character comes from a precise combination: lean pork, marjoram, a fine grind and beechwood smoke. An electric grill or a different wood simply does not reproduce it, which is the point of the protected status. Other German regions make their own bratwurst, coarser, longer, differently spiced, but none can be sold as the Nuremberg kind.
In the Cold
The bratwurst is at its best eaten outdoors in winter, hot off the charcoal in the freezing air of a Franconian market. The smoke, the marjoram and the snap of the skin are heightened by the cold and the setting. It is a small food with a long history, tied tightly to its city.
What to Expect
At a Nuremberg market stand, the bratwursts come on a small rack, six of them, crisp-skinned and fragrant with marjoram. The diner eats the first one plain to understand it, the second with mustard, the third somewhere between. By the sixth, the cook is preparing another twelve for the queue.
Why Try It
The Nuremberg bratwurst is a case study in how a specific place, a specific wood and a specific herb combine to create something irreplaceable. Eating them at the Christkindlesmarkt in December, in the cold, is an experience that justifies a trip.
Insider Tips
- Zum Gulden Stern (Zirkelschmiedsgasse 26) is the oldest bratwurst restaurant in Nuremberg and a reliable address.
- Order twelve, not six. The portion never seems adequate at first.
- Beechwood is the correct fuel. An electric grill does not produce the same result.
