I will admit it: I was intimidated by the Munich Weisswurst. Despite regular trips to the southern German state of Bavaria, I had never eaten the traditional sausage. It just seemed like there were a lot of rules that one had to follow. There are certain ways to eat the sausage and certain times to eat it.
But it turns out that the myth and hype around this Bavarian breakfast are far more intimidating than reality. While it is a popular breakfast for tourists, you will also find plenty of locals indulging in the sausages, too. And let me tell you if you are skipping the delicious Münchner Weisswurst, you are missing out!
What is the Münchner Weisswurst?
Weisswurst, or white sausage, is a Bavarian sausage. It is made from veal, pork, and spices like parsley, pepper, lemon, mace, and onion. The raw mix is then stuffed into natural pork casings. The sausage is rather plump rather than long and narrow like a standard American hot dog.
To cook, the sausages are placed in simmering – not boiling – water. The sausages are served with pretzels, sweet Bavarian mustard, and Weissbier.
The Weisswurst Legend
The white sausage, or so the story goes, was created in February of 1857, on Carnival Sunday, by Sepp Moser. When Moser’s restaurant on Munich’s Marienplatz, Zum ewigen Licht, ran out of sheep casings for the sausages, he turned to pork casings instead. But he cooked the sausages in hot water to avoid the sausages bursting.
Needless to say, the new sausage caught on. But because the sausages are raw without preservatives, tradition dictates that they are not to be eaten after the noon church bells. Today, refrigeration means the sausage can be preserved for longer. But the tradition remains.
And while it is not mandatory, it is typical to pair the sausages with a wheat beer, or Weissbier.
How to Eat the Weisswurst
Before you bon appetit, there are a few things you have to note. First, at restaurants in Bavaria, many still only serve the white sausages until noon due to the tradition. The sausages are usually served in a tureen of warm water to keep them from getting cold at the table.
When it comes to eating the actual sausage, you can not simply dig right in. The natural casing and the cooking method make the casing unappealing to eat. So the casing has to be removed.
There are many ways to skin a sausage. One option – my preferred technique – is to cut the sausage lengthwise and remove the sausage in pieces. Or, you can remove the entire sausage from the casing. If you do not mind using your hands and want to look experienced, you can even ditch the silverware altogether and “suck” the sausage out the end of the casing. Regardless of your method, with a dollop of mustard, breakfast is served.
Where to Find Munich White Sausages
There are three main components of the Munich breakfast of champions – sausages, pretzels, and beer. For that reason, you can usually find the breakfast at butcher shops, bakeries, and pubs.
The “original” location on Marienplatz still exists with the name Wildmosers Restaurant-Cafe am Marienplatz. In Tal, Schneider Bräuhaus is another great Munich Wirtshaus option. If you are looking for a Munich bakery, consider Rischart. Or, you can try the butcher shops in Viktualienmarkt.
If a trip to Bavaria is not on the cards, do not fret. You can create a home version of the breakfast. You can purchase Weisswurst, sweet Bavarian mustard, and German pretzel baking mix.
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All photos, as well as opinions, are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
