A PGI-protected white scalded sausage from canton St. Gallen, with a recipe traced to the city's 1438 Butchers' Guild statutes and made famous nationally by the OLMA fair.
The skin snaps to reveal a fine, springy interior that is mild, milky and faintly sweet with cardamom and mace. It is juicy and delicate rather than heavily smoked, the soft roll soaking up its gentle savor.
Keeping the meat and milk ice-cold lets them emulsify into a stable, fine-textured farce, while a brief sub-simmer poach sets the protein so the sausage stays juicy when grilled.
Variations
Larger Olma-fair format, versions with a higher pork ratio, pan-fried instead of grilled, served with a Bürli or simply on its own
On the Palate
Where St. Galler Bratwurst sits in the Swiss flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
8 steps · 30 min
- 15 min
Keep the very cold minced veal, pork and bacon thoroughly chilled.
Watch outKeep the meat and everything else icy cold throughout — if it warms up, the fat breaks and the sausage turns grainy instead of springy.
- 28 min
Blend the meats with cold fresh milk, ice and spices such as cardamom, coriander, mace and nutmeg.
- 37 min
Work the mixture into a smooth, fine, pale emulsion.
Watch outWork it into a pale, fine, sticky paste that clings to the bowl — that smooth emulsion is what makes the bite juicy and tender.
- 410 min
Pipe the farce into natural casings and twist into even links.
- 512 min
Poach the raw sausages briefly in water held just below a simmer to set them.
- 620 min
Let them cool, then bring a grill or pan to medium-high heat.
- 710 min
Grill the bratwurst gently, turning, until the skin blisters golden-brown.
Watch outGrill low and slow, turning, until the skin blisters an even golden-brown — rush it hot and the casing splits and bleeds juice.
- 83 min
Tuck each into a soft Bürli roll and serve with no mustard.
