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.
Of the dozens of bratwurst varieties across Germany, Nuremberg's has earned EU Protected Geographical Indication status — the only German bratwurst to carry this protection. It is finger-thin (three to four per serving), made from pork seasoned with marjoram (the herb that defines its flavour), and grilled over beechwood charcoal, which gives the skin a distinctive smoke. The recipe has been documented since 1313.
“Of the dozens of bratwurst varieties across Germany, Nuremberg's has earned EU Protected Geographical Indication status — the only German bratwurst to carry this protection.”
Nuremberg bratwursts are served six or twelve at a time in a crusty white roll (Weckle) with mustard — either sharp German yellow mustard or a sweeter one — alongside a small pile of sauerkraut or a bread roll. They are small enough to eat in two bites. At the Christkindlesmarkt in December, bratwurst vendors in wooden huts serve them to queues that wrap around the Hauptmarkt. This is the correct context.
What to Expect
At a Nuremberg market stand the bratwursts come on a small rack — six of them, crisp-skinned and fragrant with marjoram. You eat the first one plain to understand it, the second with mustard, the third somewhere between. By the sixth you're in the queue for another twelve.
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.
