A juicy smoked pork sausage studded with little pockets of melting cheese, sold at every Austrian Würstelstand (sausage stand). Grilled or boiled until the cheese oozes, it is typically served with a Semmel, mustard and grated horseradish.
An Austrian invention derived from the Carniolan sausage (Krainer Wurst) of the former Habsburg crown land of Carniola, now an icon of Viennese street food.
Snap through the smoky, taut casing and hot strings of cheese stretch out of the juicy pork. Salty, smoky and richly savory, with the bite of mustard and the nose-tingling heat of fresh horseradish, it is Vienna at midnight in one handful.
Cubes of cheese mixed into the sausage emulsion stay solid until heat melts them into molten pockets that contrast the firm meat. Smoking the sausage sets the flavor and the casing, so grilling gives a snappy skin around the gushing cheese.
Variations
Served as a 'Eitrige' with curry ketchup, wrapped in a pretzel-dough Blunzn-style, with sweet or hot mustard, alongside fries
On the Palate
Where Käsekrainer sits in the Austrian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 2How it's made
8 steps · 12 min active
- 12 min
Score the sausages lightly if grilling to prevent bursting.
- 23 min
Heat a grill or pan to medium so the cheese melts before the skin chars.
- 38 min
Cook the Käsekrainer, turning, until browned and heated through.
- 43 min
Warm a crusty Semmel roll alongside or split it open.
- 51 min
Smear mustard inside the roll and add fresh grated horseradish if liked.
- 61 min
Tuck the hot sausage into the roll or serve on a plate.
- 71 min
Pierce the casing so a little molten cheese escapes.
- 81 min
Serve immediately with extra mustard on the side.
