Weisswurst Breakfast: A Bavarian Tradition

In this post, I’ll show you how to put together a Weisswurst breakfast and everything you need to know: ingredients and quantities per person, the right preparation and the Bavarian traditions surrounding this sausage.

Enjoy reading, and enjoy your Bavarian breakfast!

What do you need for a Weisswurst breakfast?

A classic Bavarian breakfast has four essential ingredients and a few optional sides.

Weisswurst

Weisswurst is the centerpiece. Traditionally, it is made from veal, pork back fat, crushed ice, parsley, salt, pepper, mace and lemon zest. The sausage mixture goes into a hog casing.

The perfect Weisswurst is about 12 to 15 cm long and weighs between 80 and 90 g.

Tip: Look for Weisswurst with little or no plain pork (not to be confused with pork back fat). Industrial producers use pork to cut costs, but the distinctive flavor suffers. Buy from a local butcher or make your own Weisswurst.

Quantity per person: Allow about 2 to 3 Weisswurst per person to be on the safe side.

Lye pretzels

A freshly baked lye pretzel is an essential part of a Weisswurst breakfast. It tastes wonderful with the sausage.

Buy pretzels from your baker or make them yourself with my pretzel recipe.

Quantity per person: Allow half a pretzel per sausage, or 1 to 2 pretzels per person.

Sweet mustard

Sweet mustard is the traditional accompaniment. Its sweetness complements the cooked sausage, and the vinegar makes the rich Weisswurst easier to digest.

Sweet mustard is available in most supermarkets. For a special Weisswurst breakfast, you can make your own sweet mustard.

Quantity per person: About 30 ml of sweet mustard per person is a good amount.

Wheat beer

Wheat beer, called Weissbier, Weizen or Weizenbier, belongs with a Weisswurst breakfast. It’s pleasantly refreshing and goes perfectly with the hearty sausages.

Alternative: If you don’t like wheat beer, try a traditional Helles lager. It’s a little lighter and can be more enjoyable with such a filling breakfast.

Obazda (optional)

It isn’t traditional, but for me Obazda is a breakfast classic. It’s a cheese spread made from creamy Camembert, Limburger, processed cheese with cream, butter, onion and paprika.

To me, 99 % of commercially made Obazda tastes completely different from homemade. That’s why I recommend making your own Obazda.

Quantity per person: 40 g is enough.

More sides for a Weisswurst breakfast

Alongside the four essentials, a few sides deserve a place on the table:

• Radishes: Fresh and peppery, they’re perfect for a little bite between sausages.
• White radish: Thinly sliced or cut into spirals and lightly salted. A staple, especially in Upper Bavaria.
• Butter: Plain butter on a pretzel is always a good choice.
• Chives: Freshly snipped over Obazda or buttered bread.
• Pickles: A good sharp accompaniment, though not traditional.

Quantities at a glance

Here’s a summary of the quantities per person for your shopping list:

• 2 to 3 Weisswurst
• 1 to 2 lye pretzels
• about 30 ml sweet mustard
• 1 wheat beer (or Helles lager)
• 40 g Obazda (optional)

How to heat Weisswurst properly

Boiling is actually the wrong approach. The water mustn’t boil with the sausages in it, or they will burst and taste watery.

Here’s the right method:

1. Bring a pot of water, parsley and a little salt to a boil.
2. As soon as it boils, take the pot off the heat.
3. Put the Weisswurst into the hot water.
4. Leave them in the water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Your Weisswurst is now perfectly heated and ready to eat.

Tip: If you’re heating lots of sausages at once, leave the heat on and use a thermometer to keep the water between 70–75 °C (158–167 °F). They can then warm through without bursting.

How do you eat Weisswurst? Two ways

Zuzeln: the traditional way

In Bavaria, Weisswurst is traditionally “gezuzelt” rather than eaten with a knife and fork.

1. Pick up the Weisswurst. Important: leave the casing on!
2. Dip it generously in sweet mustard.
3. Put the end in your mouth and suck the sausage filling out of the casing. You can help it along with your tongue and teeth.
4. Repeat until the sausage is empty and only the casing remains.

Important: The Weisswurst casing is not eaten.

Eating Weisswurst with a knife and fork

If you’d rather not zuzeln, use a knife and fork:

1. Slit the casing lengthwise with a sharp knife.
2. Take hold of the casing with your fingers and peel it off.
3. Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t eat it this way. Do whatever suits you best!

When do you eat a Weisswurst breakfast?

Traditionally, it’s eaten on Sundays or holidays, usually from 10 a.m. The old rule says Weisswurst mustn’t hear the noon bells. That dates from when butchers didn’t precook the sausages and they needed to be eaten quickly.

These days, of course, you can get Weisswurst, pretzels and the rest at almost any time.

Planning a Weisswurst breakfast at home

If you’re hosting a Weisswurst breakfast or party, invite your guests for around 10 a.m. Here are a few planning tips:

• Shopping the day before: Preorder sausages from the butcher. Pick up fresh pretzels in the morning or bake frozen ones.
• Preparation: Make Obazda, Erdäpfelkas and sweet mustard the evening before. Slice the radishes and white radish in the morning.
• Serving: Bring the sausages to the table in hot water in a tureen or pot to keep them warm.
• Drinks: Have well-chilled wheat beer ready. Sparkling apple juice or Spezi, a cola and orange soda mix, works for children and anyone who doesn’t drink beer.

Decorating for a Weisswurst breakfast

For a Bavarian look, use blue and white. Most people immediately associate these colors with Bavaria.

For me, the two easiest decorations are:

• Tablecloth: A blue-and-white diamond pattern instantly brings a Bavarian feel.
• Napkins: You’ll need them anyway, so choose matching colors.

Frequently asked questions