Currywurst and late nights (actually early mornings) in Berlin are a marriage made in heaven. The dish was created in 1949 by the legendary Herta Heuwer to feed the (drunk) allied soldiers helping rebuild post-war Berlin. She combined German bratwurst with Italian tomato sauce, British curry powder and Worcestershire sauce, and French fries- a little something for everyone. The Deutsches Currywurst Museum estimates close to 1 billion of these babies are eaten every year. A silver coin commemorating its invention was even minted.
Currywurst – German Sausage with Curry Ketchup
A bottle of pre-made curry ketchup and most any light, smooth German sausage like Bockwurst, Bratwurst, Knockwurst (or just good ole snappy frankfurters) make this tasty combo perfect for a mid-week dinner or weekend barbeque. In Berlin, it is especially good in the wee hours of the morning with French fries with a dollop of mayo on top for dipping.
Print PinServings: 6
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Food Processor or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp Curry powder
- 1 cup Tomato ketchup
- ½ cup Dark brown sugar
- 3 tbsp White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp Paprika, sweet or hot
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 6 Pre-cooked, fine-grind German bratwurst, knockwurst, frankfurter, or weisswurst
Instructions
- Make Sauce – Heat 1 tbsp oil In a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté diced onions for 4 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute. Add ketchup until it begins to gently simmer. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, paprika, and mustard. Stir and cook for a few minutes more to slightly thicken. Remove from heat.Process mixture until smooth in a food processor or blender.
- Cook Sausages – first simmer in water until cooked through; shorter time for pre-cooked and longer for uncooked. If grilling, cook over medium heat and crisp on all sides. To fry, heat 3 tbsp oil until hot and cook sausages over medium-high heat until blistered.
- Assemble and Serve – cut each sausage into 6-8 diagonal slices, douse with curry ketchup, and sprinkle a little curry powder over each. Serve with a crusty roll or French fries with a little mayonnaise for dipping.
