Thuringian Knackwurst – traditionally spicy with a great bite
- Type
- Cured sausage
- Level
- Medium
- Rating
- Rate this recipe
In this article, you will learn how to make your own Thuringian Knackwurst. With a little effort, you can achieve a delicious result.
Thuringian Knackwurst is a classic hearty dish: air-dried, cold-smoked, and perfect for a snack or simply as a quick bite.. It is cold-smoked. You will therefore need a smoker for my recipe.
Here you can find the complete Thuringian Knackwurst recipe as a video or to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it!
Table of Contents
Thuringian Knackwurst – 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 |
|---|---|---|
| lean pork | 600 g | 60 % |
| pork belly | 400 g | 40 % |
Spices per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| salt | 23.5 g |
| caraway seeds | 4 g |
| dextrose/sugar | 3 g |
| Cure #1 | 2.5 g |
| black pepper | 2.5 g |
| mace | 0.5 g |
In principle, you can also make Thuringian Knackwurst with other types of meat. Just make sure that there is approx. 20 – 25 % fat in the mixture.
The equipment to make Thuringian Knackwurst
A meat grinder cuts the meat into small pieces so it can be mixed with the seasoning. Cut the meat into pieces that fit the feed tube before grinding.
Sausage stuffer, grinder attachment or funnel
Use a sausage stuffer to fill the mixture into its casing. A stuffing attachment for your meat grinder or a hand funnel also works when you are starting out.
Place to dry and mature the sausage
To age this raw sausage, you need an environment where both humidity and temperature are relatively constant. There are several possibilities for this. I have already matured cured sausages in the fridge or cellar without any problems.
Optional: If you want to be on the safe side, then a ripening cabinet is the best choice. My recommendation: Dry Ager DX 500
Spice grinder or mortar
Freshly ground spices taste best. Use a spice grinder or a mortar, and grind the spices completely. Ready-ground spices also work.
Smoker oven
You need the smoker to smoke your Thuringian Knackwurst.
Smoking auger and smoking flour
The smoking auger burns for approx. 12 hours. This saves you having to constantly refill the smoking flour.
Natural casings
The Thuringian Knackwurstis stuffed into natural casings. I recommend you to use pork casing caliber 28/30.
Thuringian Knackwurst – Step-By-Step Instructions
These instructions will guide you step by step to the perfect Thuringian Knackwurst.
Cut the meat and fat into mincer-sized pieces. You can vary the size depending on how big your grinder is.
Put the pieces of meat and fat in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This will help you later when mincing and ensures that the mixture does not get too warm.
Now grind the spices.
Now grind the meat. Depending on how coarse you want your final sausage meat to be, you can use different perforated disks here. I use the medium perforated disk (5 mm).
Add the spices to the grinded meat. Mix the mixture into a firm sausage meat. You can do this using a machine with a dough hook or by hand.
You can now fill the mixture into casings. Which one you use is up to you. I use pork casings caliber 28/30 .
Now it’s time to twist. You can decide for yourself how big you want your Thuringian Knackwurst to be. To do this, squeeze the sausage to the desired length with two fingers on each hand and rotate it forwards a few times. Then leave out one sausage length and repeat the process.
Poke out the air holes with a needle or sausage pick.
Now hang the Thuringian Knackwurst for 48 hours at approx. 25 degrees for fermentation. The humidity should be approx. 90 %. This is best achieved with a damp cloth nearby. The chimney sausages should be able to dry out, but should not lose moisture too quickly, otherwise a dry edge may form. After 48 hours, leave your Thuringian Knackwurst to mature for five days at approx. 15 degrees and approx. 75% humidity.
You can now hang them in the smoker and cold smoke them. I have made 4 passes here. This means 8 hours of smoke and 8 hours of no smoke. Ideally, the temperature should be between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius (59–68 °F).
Your Thuringian Knackwurst are ready. You can either eat them straight away or leave them to mature further in the cellar (< 15 degrees). The firmer you want them, the longer you need to leave them to mature. Enjoy!😄
Frequently asked questions
Is a Knacker the same as a Knackwurst?
Is a Knacker the same as a Knackwurst?
Yes. Knacker is the everyday name for this sausage, and a “DDR-Knacker” is the same sausage as it was made in East Germany. The recipe is the same one either way – caraway, pepper and curing salt, and then a cold smoke – and it is the Thuringian tradition this post follows. So if you came here looking for a Knacker recipe, you are in the right place.
How long does your Thuringian Knackwurst keep?
How long does your Thuringian Knackwurst keep?
Thanks to the smoking process, Thuringian Knackwurst has a longer shelf life. To prevent the sausages from drying out or losing their flavor, it is best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What is Thuringian Knackwurst?
What is Thuringian Knackwurst?
Thuringian Knackwurst, also known as “Knacker,” is a traditional Thuringian raw sausage. It is strongly seasoned with spices such as caraway, pepper, and often garlic, and then cold-smoked. This gives it its firm consistency, the typical crunch when you bite into it, and its hearty, spicy flavor.
