In this post I’ll show you how to make Mett yourself. It’s easy and super quick to make.
In Germany, Mett is a classic. Many eat the Mett raw as a Mett roll with pickles or onions. Another delicious variation is the Mett mixed with a raw egg. Heavenly good!
You’re probably wondering… Isn’t Mett, Hackepeter, Bratwurstgehäck or ground beef the same thing? Below I have answered these questions as well.
Typically, Mett is put through a meat grinder. But you can also chop it with a knife.
Of course, there are also regional differences in the Mett. In Franconia, for example, marjoram is added and in Thuringia some caraway. Depending on your taste, you can add spices to your version.
Here you can find the complete Mett recipe as a video or to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it! I would be happy if you leave me a comment there, whether you succeeded.
Table of Contents
Making your own Mett – What do you need?
Ingredients for your Mett
Ingredients per 1 kg
- 60 % pork belly (600g)
- 40 % pork shoulder or neck (400g)
Spices per 1 kg
- 18 g salt
- 1,5 g white pepper
- 1,5 g black pepper
- 0,5 g mace
- 0,5 g caraway
This is a “Thüringer Mett” variant. You can of course adjust the spices as you like, such as with marjoram or other spices.
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Equipment for making Mett
You need a meat grinder to “grind” the meat. The meat is chopped into small chunks and can then be mixed.
Making Mett – Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Cut your meat into strips. The size varies depending on how big your meat grinder is. The bigger the grinder, the bigger your pieces of meat can be.
2. Put the meat in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This will help later on with the grinding process and the temperature.
3. Now it’s time to grind the meat. Depending on how coarse you want your final sausage meat, you can use different perforated discs here. I use the medium perforated disc (4.5 mm).
4. Add the spices to the meat.
5. Mix the the meat and spices for a few minutes. You can decide how firm you want the final consistency. If you knead the meat vigorously and for a long time, the Mett will get a sausagemeat like binding and is therefore rather firm. If you mix the spices only lightly into the ground meat, the consistency remains looser. Personally, I prefer the looser version on bread. But tastes are known to be different.
6. Your Mett is ready😄. Enjoy it.
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Making Mett yourself – The most frequently asked questions
What is Mett anyway?
Mett is a raw meat spread. It is also called minced pork, minced pork or weighed pork. Colloquially, the word “Mett” is already used when the mass is on the bun. This would actually be a Hackepeter, Thüringer Mett or Bratwurstgehäck.
What the difference between Mett, minced meat & Hackepeter
- Minced meat, or mince for short, is the same as Mett. It’s just a different word. The meat has no spices mixed in.
- Minced meat with spices and onions is called mince.
- Thuringian Mett is a special preparation of mead, usually with the addition of caraway seeds.
- In Franconia, the Mett is called Bratwurstgehäck. Typically, there is marjoram in the Bratwurstgehäck.
What is the shelf life of the Mett?
Since it is raw meat, you should consume the Mett within 1 – 2 days.
Alternatively, you can freeze it and keep it longer.
Can you eat Mett raw?
You can eat Mett raw. It is important that the meat is absolutely fresh and that the cooling chain has not been interrupted. This is due to the fact that the minced meat has a very large surface area. The longer you wait, the more bacteria and germs can settle. This can then lead to gastrointestinal problems.
Immunocompromised persons, children under 5 years, pregnant women and seniors should rather not eat raw meat.
Can I freeze the Mett?
Yes, you can freeze the Mett and it will keep for up to 3 months. However, you should make sure that the fat is fresh and the cooling chain has not been interrupted. In terms of taste, everyone must know for themselves. Some swear that it tastes different after freezing. I would only eat it cooked through afterwards. If the meat has been frozen before, you can’t freeze it again.