Kochwurst facts for kids

Smoked Blutwurst and smoked Hessian Leberwurst, both in natural casings (intestines)

Kochwurst is a special type of German sausage. Its name means "cooked sausage." What makes it unique is that most of its ingredients are cooked before the sausage is even made.

The ingredients in Kochwurst are held together by things like solid fat, a jelly-like substance called gelatine, or proteins from blood. Unlike other sausages that stay firm when heated, Kochwurst can become quite soft or even a bit liquid when it's cooked. After the sausage mixture is put into natural casings (like intestines), jars, or tins, the whole sausage is cooked again in hot water or steam.

What's Inside Kochwurst?

Besides meat, Kochwurst often contains other parts of animals, like liver or tongue. Some types also include blood or even cereal, like in a sausage called Grützwurst.

Because the ingredients in Kochwurst can spoil quickly, it was traditionally made on days when animals were butchered. This made it a common part of a traditional meal called Schlachtplatte.

Different Kinds of Kochwurst

Smoked Leberwurst

White Schwartenmagen

In Germany, Kochwurst comes in many varieties. Here are some of the main groups and examples:

Blood Sausages (Blutwurst)

These sausages get their name from containing blood.

• Beutelwurst
• Gutsfleischwurst
• Thüringer Rotwurst
• Grützwurst
• Fleischerblutwurst
• Filetblutwurst
• Hausmacherblutwurst
• Schweinskopfblutwurst
• Speckblutwurst
• Leberrotwurst
• Zungenblutwurst

Cooked Spreading Sausages (Kochstreichwurst)

These are softer sausages that you can often spread.

• Leberwurst (Liver sausage)
  • Kalbsleberwurst (Veal liver sausage)
  • Leberbrot
  • Pfälzer Leberwurst
  • Delikatessleberwurst
  • Einfache Leberwurst
  • Feine Leberwurst
  • Gutsleberwurst
  • Hausmacher Leberwurst
  • Kassler Leberwurst
  • Landleberwurst
  • Zwiebelleberwurst
• Kochmettwurst (Cooked Mettwurst)
  • Gekochte Mettwurst
  • Hamburger Gekochte
  • Zwiebelwurst
  • Pinkel
• Pastete (Pâté or meat pie)

Jellied Sausages (Sülzwurst)

These sausages are often made with meat pieces in a jelly.

• Schinkensülze
• Presskopf
• Corned Beef
• Sächsische Weißwurst
• Schwartenmagen
• Schweinskopfsülzwurst
• Sülzfleischwurst
• Presswurst

Other Uses of Kochwurst

In some parts of northern Germany, like Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, the word Kochwurst is also used for smoked Mettwurst and Kohlwurst. These are often cooked in pots and served with Grünkohl (kale) or added to soups.

See also

In Spanish: Kochwurst para niños