Franconian dark Liverwurst — Powerful & Spicy
- Type
- Pre-cooked sausage
- Level
- Medium
- Rating
- Rate this recipe
In this post, I’ll show you how to make your own Franconian dark liverwurst. Half of the mixture consists of pork liver, combined with fatty pork belly and marjoram as the main spice. The result is a rich, really dark liverwurst that spreads easily and keeps well in a jar.
If you’re just getting started with this topic, check out my post on making your own classic liverwurst. If you prefer a coarser texture, my coarse liverwurst is a good choice. You’ll find a variation from the neighboring region in the pfälzer Liverwurst recipe.
Here you can find the complete Franconian dark liverwurst recipe as a video or to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it!
Franconian dark liverwurst – What do you need to make it?
With the right ingredients and a little patience, you can whip up this specialty in no time.
Ingredients per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| fatty pork belly | 500 g | 50 % |
| pork liver | 500 g | 50 % |
Spices per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| raw onion | 50 g |
| salt | 17.5 g |
| Cure #1 | 2.5 g |
| marjoram | 2.5 g |
| black pepper | 2.5 g |
| mace | 1 g |
| allspice | 1 g |
The equipment to make Franconian dark liverwurst
Step-By-Step Instructions
Cut the pork belly for grinding
Cut the pork belly into pieces that fit your grinder. Use a genuinely fatty belly: the fat makes this liverwurst spreadable. Lean belly gives a dry, crumbly result.
Cut the liver for grinding
Cut the pork liver into grinder-sized pieces too. At 500 g it makes up half the mixture and gives the sausage its dark color and strong flavor. Important: The liver stays raw at this stage.
Put the pork belly in a bag
Put only the belly in a vacuum bag, remove the air and seal. Keep the liver separate for grinding raw later.
Cook the pork belly at 78 °C
Cook the bagged belly at 78 °C for 1.5 hours. I use a sous-vide stick in a pot. A regular water bath and thermometer also works if you hold the temperature steady.
Collect the cooking juices
Open the bag over a large bowl and collect all the liquid. Keep it for the mixture. If cooking directly in water, weigh the meat before and after and replace the lost weight with cooking liquid.
Grind the liver, meat and onion
Grind into the bowl of cooking liquid through the fine plate: raw liver first, cooked belly next and raw onion last. A coarse plate also works for a more rustic texture.
Fill the jars
Pack into clean preserving jars, using a funnel if you like. Leave a good finger’s width of headspace and close the lids. Alternatively, fill artificial casings and poach at 80 °C for 1 minute per millimeter of diameter.
Can for two hours
Process the closed jars in a canner or large pot at 100 °C for 2 hours. This cooks the raw liver through. Let the jars cool afterward.
Your Franconian dark liverwurst is ready
Your Franconian dark liverwurst is ready. Enjoy its strong liver flavor and marjoram on bread with a pickle for a classic snack.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Franconian dark liverwurst keep?
How long does Franconian dark liverwurst keep?
Keep the jars in the fridge and use the liverwurst within 2–3 weeks. When opening: look, smell and taste. In artificial casings, refrigerate and use within 5–10 days.
Why is it so dark?
Why is it so dark?
Half the mixture is pork liver, with the bag’s cooking liquid added back. For a lighter, milder sausage, use less liver and more belly.
Why does the belly need to be fatty?
Why does the belly need to be fatty?
The fat makes the sausage spreadable. Lean belly produces a drier, firmer result, so choose a fatty piece.
Why is the liver added raw?
Why is the liver added raw?
It is ground raw and cooked through during the 2-hour processing at 100 °C. Only the belly is pre-cooked in the bag at 78 °C for 1.5 hours.
Can I use casings?
Can I use casings?
Yes. Fill artificial casings and poach at 80 °C for 1 minute per millimeter of diameter. Jars are easier to start with: no linking, and you can spread the sausage straight from the jar.
