Volker Eichener
First, some statistical data:
- Germans eat 31 kg of meats and sausages per year (average).
- This includes 2.7 kg of bratwurst, so the share is 8.7 %.
- Among sausages, bratwurst ranks number four after salami (5.5 kg), boiled sausages (4.3 kg), boiled ham (2.7 kg).
So, bratwurst is not as popular as people from other countries may think. And the consommation of bratwurst is shrinking.
Bratwurst is historically documented in Germany for about 800 years. It is a tasty way to make use of the lesser parts of the pig. It is a tasty way to eat considerable amounts of fat (which was important in former times when food was scarce and people were working hard). It is cheap and filling.
Today, bratwurst is a popular snack and also a favourite at BBQs. It is not so much something that we would make for dinner. This includes currywurst which is bratwurst with a tomato-based sauce with curry powder.
