The Ultimate Guide to German Sausage Spices

 

Taste Profiles and Pairings Explained, the ten most used sausage spices 

 1. Black Pepper: Black pepper adds a warm and pungent flavor to sausages, enhancing the overall taste. It pairs well with various types of sausages, especially with bratwurst and bockwurst. 

2. Caraway Seeds: Caraway seeds have a distinct earthy, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor. They are commonly used in traditional German sausages like mettwurst and thuringer. 

3. Mustard Seeds: Mustard seeds add a mildly spicy, tangy flavor to sausages. They are often found in bratwurst and weisswurst, providing a subtle kick to the taste. 

4. Allspice: Allspice has a complex flavor profile, resembling a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It pairs well with bockwurst and leberwurst, imparting a warm and comforting taste. 

5. Garlic: Garlic adds a strong and savory taste to sausages. Its pungent flavor is commonly found in various German sausages, such as knockwurst and krakauer. 

6. Marjoram: Marjoram has a mild, sweet, and slightly floral taste. It is often used in sausages like thuringer and rohwurst, providing a delicate herbal flavor.

 7. Nutmeg: Nutmeg has a warm and slightly sweet taste with hints of earthiness. It complements sausages like weisswurst and frankfurters, giving them a distinct aroma. 

8. Ginger: Ginger adds a zesty, slightly spicy, and pungent flavor to sausages. It is commonly used in bockwurst and leberwurst, providing a unique kick to the taste. 

9. Mace: Mace has a similar flavor to nutmeg but with a slightly more intense and spicier profile. It enhances the taste of sausages like bockwurst and liver sausages. 

10. Coriander: Coriander seeds have a citrusy, slightly sweet, and aromatic flavor. They are often used in various German sausages, including bratwurst and weisswurst, adding a subtle refreshing taste. 

Remember, the specific combination of these spices varies depending on the region and the individual sausage recipes used. Nonetheless, these spices are widely used and provide a good starting point for exploring German sausage production. Enjoy cooking and experimenting with these flavorful seasonings! Little Gasthaus, The German Sausage Maker,