Bratwurst vs. Sausage: Comparing Bratwurst and Sausage

Sausages are meat products consisting of minced or ground meat and spices stuffed into a casing. A sausage casing can be synthetic (made with cellulose) or made with animal intestines or skin. Sausages can consist of beef, veal, chicken, pork, lamb, or a combination of meat. Sausages may be fresh, cured, smoked, or dried. In the days before refrigeration, drying sausages was a way to preserve meat for long periods.

There are many kinds of sausages worldwide with varying types of meat and spice fillers, including the Polish sausage known as kielbasa and the French sausage called andouille—both smoked sausages. Cured sausage and dried sausage are also common, including the Italian sausage known as salami, which sometimes features fennel, and spicy Spanish chorizo Breakfast patties and American hot dogs are also types of sausage.

Bratwursts, also known as brats, are a type of German sausage. In Germany, the word “bratwurst” is a catch-all term for all sausages: “brat” means ground meat, and “wurst” means sausage. Bratwursts typically consist of pork and veal, but they can also be made with beef and veal, or any combination of meat. German bratwursts are distinct because of the seasonings, namely marjoram. Other common bratwurst spices include ginger, paprika, sage, cumin, nutmeg, coriander, and caraway.

Bratwursts are typically sold as raw, fresh sausage in a natural casing or as a link sausage. You can grill, boil, or simmer brats in beer—which is a popular preparation in the state of Wisconsin. You can serve brats in a stew, on a sandwich, or as a main dish with a side of sauerkraut and potato salad. Typical condiments for brats include ketchup, mustard, relish, slaw, and aioli.

Bratwursts are a type of sausage, but not all sausages are bratwursts. You can find sausages at the supermarket or butcher shop with a natural or synthetic casing, whereas bratwursts usually have a natural casing made from animal intestines or animal skin. Some sausages are sold pre-cooked or smoked, so they do not require cooking. Bratwursts are sold fresh, with raw meat, so they require cooking.

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