Mettwurst () is a strongly flavored

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

made from raw minced pork preserved by curing and smoking, often with garlic. The southern German variety is soft and similar to Teewurst. Braunschweiger mettwurst is partially smoked but still soft and spreadable, while other northern German varieties such as Holsteiner are harder and more akin to

salami Salami ( ) is a cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. Historically, salami was popular among Southern, Eastern, and Central European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for up to 45 days ...

, due to longer duration of smoking.

Etymology

The Low German word ''

mett Mett is a preparation of minced (ground) raw pork seasoned with salt and black pepper that is popular in Germany and Poland. It is frequently spread on halves of a bread roll, with raw onion optionally on top. Since the 1950s Mett has also been ...

'', meaning 'minced pork without bacon', is derived from the

Old Saxon Old Saxon, also known as Old Low German, was a Germanic language and the earliest recorded form of Low German (spoken nowadays in Northern Germany, the northeastern Netherlands, southern Denmark, the Americas and parts of Eastern Europe). It ...

word ''meti'' (meaning 'food'), and is related to the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

word 'meat'.

Preparation and usage

Mettwurst can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways, such as cooked or fried or spread on

rye bread Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from whea ...

with onions and eaten raw. When minced raw pork is prepared without curing or smoking, it is called simply

Mett Mett is a preparation of minced (ground) raw pork seasoned with salt and black pepper that is popular in Germany and Poland. It is frequently spread on halves of a bread roll, with raw onion optionally on top. Since the 1950s Mett has also been ...

. The skin is designed to be eaten and is typically not removed. It is important that high-quality, fresh ingredients are used; otherwise, deadly microorganisms and toxins can develop. In January 1995, 23 children became very ill, one of whom died, which the coroner found was a result of eating garlic mettwurst.

Outside of Germany

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

, due to a large German emigration in the 19th century (to, for example, the town of Hahndorf), mettwurst (sometimes spelled "metwurst") is common: it is created in the northern German style and served as a

cold cut Lunch meats—also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, sandwich meats, and deli meats—are precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in sandwiches or on ...

. It is often consumed in school lunches and as a snack during parties. In the United States, mettwurst is most commonly associated with the city of

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, where it is regarded as a signature dish. The town of Mineola, Iowa, which was settled almost exclusively by immigrants from

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sc ...

, hosts an annual heritage dinner with "Schoening-style" cold-smoked Mettwurst known in the Low German dialect as ''Metvuss''.

Similar products

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

''meetvursti'' resembles the Dutch metworst or

; it is dry, hard, strong-flavored and dense, and is eaten as a cold cut on bread.

References

{{Sausage German sausages Australian cuisine Australian sausages Cuisine of Cincinnati Smoked meat Raw sausages