How to Read a German Sausage Label: Rohwurst, Brühwurst, Kochwurst
Germany sorts its sausages by one official rule book, the meat guidelines of the German Food Code. They say what a Rohwurst, a Wiener or a Leberwurst must contain and how the animal is named. These 15 terms explain the three sausage families, the common names and what the label says about the meat.
Three families of sausage
The Food Code splits German sausages into three groups by how they are made.
- Dry-cured sausages (Rohwurst)
- Raw sausage: usually cured, keeps without a fridge above 10 °C and is eaten raw. It is either sliceable after ripening and drying, or spreadable. Added sugar is limited to 2 %.
- Salami (Salami and Teewurst)
- Salami is a sliceable Rohwurst that keeps unopened without cooling. Teewurst is a spreadable one: only lightly dried and not meant for long storage.
- Noble mould on dry sausages (White coat on Rohwurst)
- Air-dried and lightly smoked Rohwurst may carry a whitish coat of microorganisms on the casing. A white dip coating or a white-pigmented casing must be indicated on the label.
- Brühwurst
- Scalded sausage: raw meat chopped with salt and water, then heated by scalding, baking or frying. The meat protein sets, so it stays firm when heated again.
- Kochwurst
- Cooked sausage made mostly from cooked meat, liver, blood or rind. It can be sliced only when cold. Leberwurst, Blutwurst and Sülzwurst belong here.
Common names
- Wiener and Bockwurst
- Thin, finely chopped, cured scalded sausages. They must contain at least 8 % lean meat protein.
- Grilling sausages and meat pies (Bratwurst)
- Its meaning differs by region: it can be raw sausage meat for frying, a Rohwurst, a Brühwurst or a Kochwurst. Coarse Bratwurst is not cured and is often sold raw, to be fried or scalded right away.
- Leberwurst
- Liver sausage, a Kochwurst. Liver usually makes up 10–30 %, and it must contain at least 9 % lean meat protein.
- 🌭 Thüringer Rostbratwurst (Thüringer and Nürnberger Rostbratwurst)
- Both are EU protected geographical indications. They must follow their own rules, such as being made in Thuringia or in the city of Nuremberg.
- Protected cured meat names (Other protected German sausages)
- The Food Code lists Thüringer Leberwurst, Greußener Salami, Halberstädter Würstchen and Nordhessische Ahle Wurscht among protected German meat products.
What the label says about the meat
- BEFFE
- German lab term for meat protein without connective tissue: a measure of how much lean muscle meat is in the sausage. Salami needs at least 13 %, Wiener 8 %.
- Animal in the name
- Beef and pork are the default. Any other animal must be named, sometimes with its share: «Wiener with 10 % chicken». «Rindersalami» with pork must say so, and beef must be the larger part.
- Kalb- and Kalbsleberwurst
- «Kalb-» in front means more than half the beef is veal. In Kalbsleberwurst more than half of the liver comes from calf.
- Geflügel and «rein»
- Poultry (Geflügel) sausage is made only from chicken and/or turkey; other birds must be named. «Rein» next to an animal means only that animal was used.
- Separatorenfleisch
- Mechanically separated meat must be declared with its share. If it is more than half of the meat, the product may not use standard names like Wiener or Leberwurst.
Sources
Themes
🥛Types of milkFrom cow to reindeer: composition, benefits, value🧀Cheeses of the worldParmesan, feta, bryndza, sulguni and more🥣Fermented milk productsKefir, yogurt, kumis, matsoni, skyr🌍Dairy traditionsRegions, peoples and their dairy products🐄Dairy animalsWhich animals are milked and how their milk differs🚚The journey of milkFrom pasture to shop — step by step❤️Milk and healthCalcium, lactose, allergy, benefits and risks👷JobsWho works with milk🗺️Map of traditionsWorld regions, peoples and their products on a map⚖️ComparisonsKefir or yogurt, sour cream or cream, and more🍳RecipesCottage cheese, yogurt, ghee, paneer, butter — at home📜History of milkFrom domestication to Tetra Pak🫒OlivesVarieties, oil, table olives, regions and traditions🥃SpiritsWhisky, brandy, rum, liqueurs: how they are made, what the label says, which traditions🌼Monofloral honeyAcacia, lime, chestnut, lavender🏷️Protected honey namesMiel de Provence, Kraški med and other PDO and PGI🐝Bee productsBeeswax, propolis, pollen, bee bread, royal jelly🪵Apiary and beekeepingHives, frames, extractor, the beekeeper’s year🌸Honey plantsWhich plants give bees their nectar⚖️Honey labels and qualityCountry of origin, moisture, adulteration