A good barbecued sausage must be two things: crispy, and sizzling hot. But which types of sausage can be barbecued, and what are commonly-made mistakes? We have some tips and information so you can enjoy the perfect sausage.
Our «national sausage» is a short, thick cooked sausage, made mainly from beef and bacon. Klöpfer, Stumpen, Proletenfilet... its names are just as diverse as the ways in which it is prepared: raw, boiled, roasted, grilled, in sausage salad, as goulash, wrapped in or stuffed with cheese and bacon. Each Swiss household consumes around 40 cervelats a year.
The raw bratwurst from the canton of Vaud consists of lean pork and bacon and can measure up to 40 cm in length. Traditionally, the spiral-shaped variety goes on the grill, where it becomes the aromatic highlight thanks to marjoram, nutmeg, mace, ginger, cardamom and medium dry white wine.
The raw, coarse bratwurst made from pork and neck bacon was a typical product of house butchers out in the Swiss countryside. Hence the name. It has a rustic and refined aroma. It becomes even more refined if enriched with aromatic herbs.
Its name often leads to misunderstandings, as the small bratwurst made to an eastern Swiss recipe has nothing to do with onions. It consists of fine veal, bacon and milk and can be enjoyed roasted or from the grill; try wrapping it in plenty of bacon and making kebabs with a few other ingredients.
A white unsmoked cooked sausage made from veal and pork. It may only be called St. Galler bratwurst if it is made to specifications using at least 50% veal. This tastes best grilled with rolls or bread – mustard on the side is taboo!
Simply turn them over? Not quite. For turning, always use the barbecue tongs rather than a fork, as otherwise fat can drip into the embers and cause ash to rise – that spoils the sausage. We tell you here what else you need to bear in mind.
Sausage is best cooked on a constant heat. So wait until the gas grill is hot or the coals are glowing and a white layer of ash has formed on them. If the bratwurst goes on the barbecue before the gas grill is hot, it loses juice as it warms and dries out. If it lands on the charcoal grill when the fire is blazing, it will burn.
If the sausage sometimes becomes too crisp, it is probably too near the heat. Make sure that the distance between the heat source and the grill is about a hand’s breadth. That way, the sausage will not dry out or burn at all.
Simply turn them over? Not quite. For turning, always use the barbecue tongs rather than a fork, as otherwise fat can drip into the embers and cause ash to rise – that spoils the sausage.
