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About This Currywurst Recipe
Currywurst is Germany's most popular street food. It originated in Berlin as a fast snack (Schnellimbiss) and eventually spread to other cities. Served with fries it is the perfect accompaniment to flavorful German beers.
Nearly a billion currywursts are sold annually throughout the country at venues such as Imbissbuden (concession stands), Biergärten and increasingly more often at sit-down restaurants.
In a nutshell the key features of currywurst are:
- thick, finely ground bratwurst
- steamed/boiled, then fried or grilled until the skin is crispy
- sliced in thick, bite-sized pieces
- smothered in curry flavored tomato sauce or ketchup
- dusted with curry powder
- served with mini wood or plastic fork(s) to be eaten on the go
- accompanied by fries or freshly baked Brötchen (bread rolls)
The currywurst sauce that essentially turns a bratwurst into a currywurst is a mix of tomato puree or ketchup, mild yellow curry and other spices, sugar and vinegar.
You can always buy curry ketchup - truth be told most Germans do not make theirs from scratch and many contemporary stands also use certain well-known brands. But if you'd rather try your hand at the real deal sauce - it is easy to whip up a batch.
How to Make Curry Ketchup
You should note that an official recipe for a currywurst sauce does not exist.
Herta Hauer, the resourceful woman credited with the creation of the delicacy in 1949 never shared her original recipe (see Historical background below).
Hundreds of competitors tried to recreate it over the years resulting in hundreds of recipes. Contemporary patrons often favor a specific Imbiss stand because of their particular currywurst sauce variation.
That being said there are several ingredients which are essential to the famous curry sauce.
We've based this recipe on the one from The German Cookbook by Alfons Schuhbeck and it tastes very close to the currywurst pork sausages we've enjoyed in Germany.
You will need:
- organic ketchup - the quality of your ketchup is very important
- yellow curry powder - mild, some hints of heat are OK
- onion - diced
- garlic - minced
- vegetable oil - to cook the onion until soft
- Worcestershire sauce
- paprika - Hungarian type sweet paprika, not Spanish smoked
- salt - use a coarse salt for best results
- sugar - we recommend dark brown sugar, it adds a deep caramel like flavor
- mustard - use either ground seed or prepared yellow mustard
- vinegar - either white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Step-by-Step Process
TIP: Use a deep sauce pan so that you can easily blend the sauce with an immersion blender at the end. Currywurst sauce should have body rather than being thin.
- Start by sauteing diced onion in the vegetable oil over medium heat. Once the onion bits are translucent and soft add minced garlic and yellow curry powder and cook for about a minute.
- Add the organic ketchup, mix well and cook for another couple of minutes, on medium-low.
- After a few minutes add vinegar, Worcestershire, sugar, salt, paprika and mustard. Mix and simmer for awhile longer until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the sauce pan from the heat and blend.
TIP: We recommend that you use a mesh splatter guard as pureed tomatoes/ketchup always bubble up too vigorously.
Curry Ketchup Variations
To tweak the flavors until you find that perfect combination you can use:
- tomato sauce and tomato paste for the base (will require longer simmering to thicken the sauce) instead of ketchup
- honey or white cane sugar (or a combination of both) instead of brown sugar
- a bit of diced apple in addition to the diced onion (cook it down until soft) or applesauce
- OJ instead of vinegar
- spices like cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg (in small quantities) and perhaps some cayenne for heat
As to the exact quantities and proportions - simply experiment to discover a version that best pleases your palate. You can also skip the diced onion and minced garlic and start by warming up ketchup then adding the rest of the ingredients.
What Type of German Sausage to Use?
The original currywurst used a sausage made of pork, bacon and water, piped into pork casings. It was boiled and then deep fried.
Today it is made with various mild-flavored, fine-textured veal, pork or a veal/pork combination sausages, usually pre-cooked. It is either grilled or fried.
To recreate authentic German currywurst in the US we recommend that you do not use the widely available raw, meaty ground pork bratwurst from Wisconsin - this is not the correct type of sausage. Instead, look for good quality, fine grind German sausage, preferably boiled. Definitely not cured and if smoked - very, very lightly.
The following options are relatively easy to find:
- finely ground, pre-cooked Bavarian bratwurst (like this one we used to make Brats in Beer Sauce)
- Bockwurst
- Oberländer/Wollwurst
- Knockwurst (originally called Knackwurst in Germany) - it has a fine grind, appropriate snappiness and thickness
Or simply go to a butcher or specialty food store with a selection of German sausages and ask for something suitable.
How to Cook the Wursts
If the sausage you procured is not pre-cooked, simmer it in water first.
You can either pan-fry or grill the sausage until the skin gets very crispy on the outside - this is key.
Then cut into chunky slices - about 8 is considered optimal.
TIP: If pan-frying the wurst be sure to use enough oil in order to get crispy skin and either use a splatter screen and/or cut small slits on the surface of the sausages.
When currywurst is served with fries as opposed to Brötchen it is very common for the fries to be accompanied by their own pommes fritte sauce or simply a generous dollop of mayo.
TIP: We like to mix a bit of curry powder with mayonnaise and add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it up. It becomes a great dip for the fries.
Where is the Best Currywurst sold?
Of course in Berlin! Even though it has become vastly popular around the entire country, Berliner currywurst remains the gold standard.
Most vendors have their own recipe for curry ketchup which guarantees variations in the overall flavor. Identifying the best currywurst stands is tied to personal taste preferences and virtually impossible, but some have tried to organize top 10 types of lists nevertheless.
If you happen to be visiting Berlin in the near future, here are a few ideas for best places to taste currywurst.
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Recipe
Berliner Currywurst + How to Make Authentic Curry Ketchup
Ingredients
Curry Ketchup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon yellow curry powder + more for dusting
- 1 cup organic ketchup
- 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder or prepared yellow mustard
Bratwurst
- 4 links of preferably pre-cooked fine grind German bratwurst such as Bavarian bratwurst, Bockwurst, Knockwurst
- vegetable oil optional if pan-frying, as needed
Instructions
- In a deep sauce pan heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and saute the diced onion for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and curry powder, stir and cook for another minute.
- Add the ketchup, stir and cook until it is heated through and gently simmers. Use a splatter guard to minimize mess from the simmering sauce.
- Add the vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika and mustard. Mix well and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend all the ingredients. Alternatively transfer to a blender. The curry ketchup should be quite thick. Keep it warm while you cook the bratwurst.
- If the bratwurst in not pre-cooked first simmer it in water, then grill or pan-fry it.
- If grilling, grill until the skin gets crispy on all sides. If pan-frying heat about ¼ inch deep of oil in a pan and turn the sausage frequently to make sure it gets crispy on all sides.
- Cut in thick bite-sized pieces and serve smothered with curry ketchup and a dusting of curry powder.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
History of Currywurst
Currywurst is the creation of a German lady by the name of Herta Heuwer who lived in Berlin. In 1949, in post-war Germany times were hard and few food items were available.
The resourceful house-wife is believed to have engaged in small trade with British soldiers who offered her ketchup, English curry spice and Worcestershire sauce for booze. She added curry to the ketchup along with other spices and concocted the famed currywurst sauce which she served over bratwurst.
The dish became an instant hit and she started selling currywursts to the workers who were rebuilding the city. Soon enough she opened her own food stand selling the dish, located near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin Mitte and ran it until the 1970s.
The curry ketchup covered sausage became so popular that it soon attracted competitors, who tried to emulate the recipe and ended up creating numerous versions of it. The dish spread across Germany to become a well-loved street food, especially in big cities like Frankfurt and Hamburg.
Frau Heuwer never told anyone what the exact recipe of her curry ketchup was, reportedly not even her husband. She died in 1999. Currywurst remained as a shared culinary heritage of all of Germany.
For a period of time there was even a museum devoted to currywurst in Berlin. The Deutsches Currywurst Museum actually closed down permanently in 2018 but until then attracted about 350,000 thousand visitors annually.
RLS
We really liked the sauce! It was delicious. My fiance spent a year in high school as an exchange student in the Cologne area - and speaks of Currywurst fondly. I doubled the recipe, and replaced one T of curry powder with garam masala. It was good but he said it was a little spicier than authentic Currywurst sauce! When he diluted my sauce 50% with the plain organic ketchup he said it was pretty authentic! I liked the spicier version myself. Thanks for a delicious and easy to make recipe!
Milena Perrine
So thrilled to read your feedback, Rose! Thank you for sharing it.
Latestmodapks
Currywurst is a German street food that is a must-try. The recipe is simple and easy to follow, and the video provides a great visual guide. I can't wait to try this dish myself!
Everett Herron (aka) E.T.
Hello David. I myself was stationed at Kruezberg Kaserne I. ZWEIBRUCKEN. THE Currywurst was the best that I had while living in Sunny Zwei. Thanks for sharing your information. E.T.
Lisa
I love curry wurst, but don’t ever put curry ketchup on Weiss wurst because you’ll totally overpower the delicate flavor. There is a Weiss wurst senf (mustard) that is slightly sweet, but delicious with Weiss wurst.
Milena Perrine
Thank you, Lisa!
Peggy
How long will the sauce last in the fridge? If only a few days, has anyone tried freezing it?
Milena Perrine
Peggy, if you store the curry ketchup in an air-tight container, refrigerated it can last for up to a month, with the sugar and vinegar acting as preservatives. If you are to freeze it, do so in a freezer bag with all the air carefully expelled and to reheat first thaw in the fridge, then warm up a bit.
Dan
Is it possible to batch cook the curry ketchup and can it (hot water bath method)? I think so because of high sugar content but wonder if author or others have tried it.
Milena Perrine
Dan, we have not canned it previously but it should not be a problem if you boil in hot water.
Reiner Schoenbrunn
This is a fantastic site, I much enjoyed! I'm German (living in New Zealand) and happily authenticate the info given.
I'm missing Currywurst so badly! As teens in Germany we hung out with our mopeds at local takeaways "Pommesbude" and ordered "Schale" (tray, as pictured earlier). Came to NZ 40 yrs ago, butchers' bangers were shite, flavoured mutton and bulk fillers, puke! Not quite so bad these days but, still, you have to be very selective where to buy. It takes time to find a good supplier!
The original curry sauce recipe would have had only basic ingredients, I think. Germany in '49 after the War wasn't affluent and still had shortages, particularly in isolated West Berlin.
Anyway, I want Currywurst, Pommes and doppel Mayo now...
Angelika
After immigrating to the USA from Germany one of the foods I missed most was currywurst. I knew how to prepare it but I just couldn't find the right sausage in the store (at least not where I live). Until one day, at my local Smith's store they offered Boarshead cooked bratwurst in natural casing (looks like a light grayish color). Not the cheapest one but in my opinion the best for currywurst. Prepare the sauce as mentioned above and pan-fry the bratwurst with natural oil on medium heat until it browned and the casing starts cracking. Perfect to serve with the sauce plus french fries with with a dollop of mayo. A cold beer goes great with it 🙂
Mike
Score one more great recipe on my part, and scratch Germany off the list with cuisines to try out at home. It was all a case of acute luck, having most of the major ingredients on hand. This turned a treat, and I will possibly try cooking it again.
CraftBeering
Great to hear, Mike! Thank you for taking the time to comment.Cheers!
DAVID E STRAUB
Having been to Germany in the mid 70's, I had acquired quite a taste for currywurst and pommes frittes! Strange that I've never made them myself. I'm getting the ingredients together and hoping to enjoy some this weekend .... thanks for the recipe. The area that I lived in Germany (Zweibrucken) seemed to be very consistent with their recipe. I hope I can do it justice.
CraftBeering
Hi, David, we hope this version of curry ketchup works out for you! Hopefully it will be close to the flavor that you enjoyed in Zweibrucken. Cheers!
Cynthia Cartee
Hi David, Just found this recipe and your comments. We were in Germany at that time and would visit friends stationed at the USAF Hospital on base in Zweibrucken. I found my first bottle of curry ketchup in Cincinnati as they have a large German population. However, I do not visit Cinci that often and also plan to make my own using this recipe. Nice to find someone that also appreciated German cuisine.
Kerryanne
Another fabulous recipe guys.... who doesn't love some German sausage!!
Thank you for sharing at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring your Currywurst recipe at tonight's party and pinning too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne
Amanda
I've never tried making my own currywurst, so thank you for this! That curry ketchup sounds so flavorful, and I always love a good German sausage. I'm definitely giving this a go.
CraftBeering
Hope you like it, Amanda!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
I never knew the history of currywurst! That's so interesting! I've never eaten it either--but since I love curry I need to add it to my must-try list.
Leanne @ Crumb Top Baking
I've never heard of curry wurst, but I'm pretty certain my husband would love this. And now I totally want to travel to Berlin! 😉 The curry ketchup will be whipped up around here soon. My family is all about the condiments!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I have never heard of currywurst, but now I can't stop thinking about it 🙂 And as my luck would have it, I've just come back from the grocery store with a whole bunch of bratwurst. It was meant to be!
CraftBeering
Awesome! So glad to hear:) I think you will like the sauce.