German Mettwurst Recipe

Chill and prepare meat

Trim visible sinew and large pieces of fat from pork and beef. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze or chill until very firm but not frozen solid, about 30–45 minutes. Chill grinder parts and mixing bowl as well.

Prepare casings

Place natural hog casings in a bowl of cool water for at least 30 minutes to rehydrate. Rinse the inside of the casings by running water through them, then leave in fresh water until ready to stuff.

Combine all Spice Mix ingredients (kosher salt, curing salt if using, white and black pepper, allspice, mace, nutmeg, coriander, red pepper flakes, sugar, minced garlic, and onion powder) in a small bowl and mix thoroughly so the cure and salts are evenly distributed.

Grind meat

Fit the meat grinder with a medium (6 mm / 3⁄16") plate. Working in batches to keep meat cold, grind the pork and beef together into a wide bowl. Return the ground meat to the refrigerator or place over ice between batches to keep it chilled.

Emulsify

Combine the ground meat with the dry milk powder and the prepared spice mix. Add about half of the ice water and mix briskly by hand or in a stand mixer with a paddle on low speed until the mixture becomes tacky and binds together, about 3–5 minutes. Add remaining ice water as needed to achieve a slightly sticky, spreadable sausage texture. The mixture should hold together when pressed but not be runny.

Taste-safety note: If you did not use curing salt, cook sausages to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) after smoking. If you used curing salt #1, smoke to 150°F (65°C) and hold as recommended by guidelines for cured sausages.

Prepare hopper and casings

Slide one end of the prepared hog casing onto the sausage stuffer tube, leaving a 6–8 cm tail. Tie a knot at the tail end or fold the casing back and secure. Lightly oil the stuffer tube with the cooking oil to ease stuffing.

Stuff sausages

Fill the stuffer hopper with the sausage mixture and stuff into the casing, keeping a firm, even pressure to avoid air pockets. Form sausages into links of 12–15 cm by twisting at intervals. Prick any large visible air pockets with a sterile needle and press out air gently.

Rest links on a tray in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight) to let flavors marry and the casings dry slightly for better smoke uptake.

Preheat smoker

Preheat a smoker to maintain a steady 95–110°C (200–225°F). Use mild hardwoods such as beech, oak, or apple for traditional German flavor. Soak wood chips briefly if using a charcoal grill with a smoke box.

Cold-hang (optional)

For a deeper cured flavor, hang the sausages in a cool ventilated area (12–16°C / 54–61°F) with low humidity for 12–24 hours before smoking. This encourages pellicle formation and improves smoke adhesion.

Smoke the sausages

Place the rested sausages in the smoker. Smoke at 95–110°C (200–225°F) until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C) for cured sausages or 160°F (71°C) if not using cure — approximately 2–3 hours depending on diameter. Monitor temperature with a probe thermometer placed in the thickest link.

Finish and cool

Once target internal temperature is reached, remove sausages from smoker and cool quickly by placing them on a rack at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until fully cooled. This helps the casing set and improves flavor. Sausages will be firm and sliceable when chilled.

Store smoked mettbrat/mett-wurst refrigerated up to 7–10 days wrapped in parchment and plastic, or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, slice thinly for cold platters or gently warm slices in a skillet — avoid overcooking to preserve moisture.