Considered the national sausage of Switzerland, the modern recipe arose in late-19th-century Basel; some 160 million are eaten yearly.
The smoky skin crackles and the crisped curled ends taste almost like bacon, while the dense, finely-ground interior stays juicy and savory. It is humble, salty and deeply comforting — the taste of a Swiss summer evening by the fire.
Slitting the ends increases surface area so the casing contracts unevenly over the fire and curls outward, exposing more sausage to the heat for crisp, browned edges.
Variations
Cervelat salad with cheese, onion and vinaigrette, pan-fried slices, served cold in a sandwich, regional spice tweaks
On the Palate
Where Cervelat sits in the Swiss flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
8 steps · 5 min
- 11 min
Take ready-made cervelats, already smoked and cooked, from the fridge.
- 22 min
With a sharp knife, cut a deep cross into each end of the sausage.
Watch outCut the cross deep into each end, right into the meat — a shallow nick won't splay open over the fire.
- 32 min
Skewer each cervelat lengthwise on a sturdy stick or grill fork.
- 41 min
Set them over glowing campfire embers or a hot grill.
- 53 min
Turn slowly so the slit ends splay open and curl outward.
Watch outTurn slowly and watch the slit ends peel back and curl outward — that curl is the sign the cut faces are catching the heat.
- 63 min
Grill until the cut faces brown and the curls crisp at the tips.
Watch outGrill until the cut faces brown and the curled tips crisp; pull it before the skin blackens.
- 71 min
Lift off once the sausage is hot through and blistered.
- 82 min
Eat straight off the stick with bread and mustard, or sliced into a salad.
