Schinkenwurst – Bavarian Bologna & Foundation For Many Cold Cuts
- Type
- Cooked sausage
- Level
- Easy
- Rating
- Rate this recipe
In this post I’ll show you how you can make Schinkenwurst yourself. It is a delicious classic Bavarian cold cut.
The literal translation would be “ham sausage” and it is the base for lots of different types of cold cuts. Among other things, also paprika sausage, mushroom sausage or Bierschinken “beer ham sausage”.
In my recipe, I use beef as well as pork. But you can also make the Schinkenwurst with 100% pork. I have written down both variations for you.
I also added 3 spiced up variations for you at the end of this post.
You can watch the Schinkenwurst recipe as video or read it. Let’s start.
Table of Contents
Schinkenwurst – What do you need to make it?
Ingredients per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| My version with beef | ||
| lean pork | 400 g | 40 % |
| pork back fat | 300 g | 30 % |
| lean beef, e.g. shoulder | 150 g | 15 % |
| finely crushed ice | 150 g | 15 % |
| Pork-only version | ||
| pork shoulder | 400 g | 40 % |
| pork belly | 250 g | 25 % |
| finely crushed ice | 150 g | 15 % |
| pork cheek | 100 g | 10 % |
| pork back fat | 100 g | 10 % |
Spices per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| salt | 15.5 g |
| cutter aid | 3 g |
| Cure #1 | 2.5 g |
| white pepper | 2 g |
| onion powder | 1 g |
| coriander | 0.5 g |
| ginger | 0.5 g |
| garlic powder | 0.5 g |
| mace | 0.5 g |
My version with beef
- 400 g lean pork
- 300 g pork back fat
- 150 g lean beef, e.g. shoulder
- 150 g finely crushed ice
Pork-only version
- 400 g pork shoulder
- 250 g pork belly
- 100 g pork cheek
- 100 g pork back fat
- 150 g finely crushed ice
The equipment to make Schinkenwurst
You need a meat grinder to “grind” the meat. The meat is chopped into small chunks with it.
Food processor / Thermomix
In a food processor, the minced meat and ingredients are mixed into a very fine mass. If you have a Thermomix, you can also use it for this process.
Artificial casings / Jars
To fill your sausage you need either 45 caliber artificial casing or jars to boil it down.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Cut the meat and fat
Cut the meat and fat separately into pieces that fit your grinder. Adjust the size for each.
Partially freeze the meat
Partially freeze the meat and fat for about 1–2 hours. Don’t freeze them solid; slightly frozen meat grinds more cleanly.
Grind the spices
Grind the spices into a fine powder. Freshly ground spices give the Schinkenwurst a more intense flavor.
Grind the meat through the fine plate
Grind the partially frozen meat and fat twice through the fine plate. This gives the food processor less work to do.
Put the ground mixture in the cutter
Put the ground mixture in your cutter or food processor. Run it briefly to distribute everything evenly.
Add the spices and cutter aid
Add the ground spices and cutter aid. The cutter aid helps the ice water bind into the mixture.
Process the sausage mixture and add ice
Process on the highest setting and gradually add the ice water. Important: Keep the mixture below 12 °C, checking continuously with a thermometer. Continue until the mixture is evenly fine.
Fill artificial casings or jars
Fill into artificial casings or jars with as few air pockets as possible. Using a sausage stuffer to fill the jars helps avoid bubbles.
Poach or can
Poach artificial casings at 75 °C for about 1 hour. Process jars at 100 °C: about 1.5 hours for small jars and 2 hours for larger ones. Keep the preserved jars in the fridge and use them within 2–3 weeks.
Let cool and enjoy
Your Schinkenwurst is ready. Let it cool completely before slicing. You should see a good meat-to-fat balance and taste the spices clearly. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
What is Schinkenwurst?
What is Schinkenwurst?
Schinkenwurst is a finely processed, cooked sausage made from a basic cold-cut mixture of pork, fat and spices. It is poached or preserved in jars. The same base is used for Jagdwurst, Bierschinken and other cold cuts.
Can I smoke Schinkenwurst?
Can I smoke Schinkenwurst?
Yes, after poaching you can cold smoke it at about 20 °C for several hours for a mild flavor. Warm smoking at 60–70 °C (140–158 °F) is faster and gives a stronger smoke flavor. Use artificial casings rather than jars for this.
Is a cutter or food processor better?
Is a cutter or food processor better?
A cutter makes the finest mixture, but a food processor works too. Grind the meat twice through the fine plate first and keep the mixture below 12 °C either way.
Why must the mixture stay below 12 °C?
Why must the mixture stay below 12 °C?
Above 12 °C, fat starts separating from the emulsion. This produces a grainy, crumbly mixture that releases fat and water during poaching. Use ice water, partially frozen meat and regular temperature checks.
Extra tip for a very fine mixture
This takes a little more work. I usually make the simpler version above because the exact grain size is not that important to me. For an especially fine result, cut and grind the lean meat separately from the fat. Process the lean meat with the spices and cutter aid first, then gradually add the fat and ice water.
How long does Schinkenwurst keep?
Once cut, about 4–5 days in the fridge. Whole, about 14 days refrigerated. Preserved in jars, keep it in the fridge and use it within 2–3 weeks.
More cold-cut variations
Make your own Paprikawurst
Bierschinken (Beer Ham)
Make your own mushroom sausage
Homemade Jagdwurst
Make cheese sausage (cold cut) yourself
Paprika sausage
Mix about 15 g paprika flakes into 1 kg of mixture for fine red flecks. Alternatively, add 25–30 % chopped, drained pickled peppers. A mix of red and green gives a nice color.
Bierschinken
Try my Bierschinken recipe.
Mushroom sausage
Add 20–25 % canned mushrooms. They add little mushroom flavor, though. For more flavor, quarter fresh mushrooms and cook in a dry pan until they lose moisture and are cooked through. Salt lightly if you like. Cool before adding to the base mixture.
Jagdwurst
Try my Jagdwurst recipe.
Cheese variation
Add 25–35 % of your favorite cheese, diced or grated. I recommend Gouda or Cheddar; a strong mountain cheese would also be interesting.
