![\"Knockwurst](\"https:\/\/bratsandbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/knockwurst_vs_Bratwurst.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you love a great brat, you\u2019re almost guaranteed to be a knockwurst fan as well. And vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ingredients and taste are different but that same basic joy of great grilled meat \u2014 plus some beer \u2014 applies equally to both knockwurst and bratwurst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bratwurst are probably more easily found as far as buying them locally but knockwurst are also popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knockwurst is a bit lumpier and stouter than Bratwurst. The casing lengths are hence different. The spice level in Knockwurst is higher than Bratwurst.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knockwurst is primarily of the pork and veal variety, unlike Bratwurst that has veal as its primary mean type, most of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knockwurst is smoother in texture due to being ground finely, which is not the case in Bratwurst, which has a coarser feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The orange-reddish tint of Knockwurst is distinguishable from the pinkish color of Bratwurst. The contrast is because of the obvious difference in meats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your best bet for great bratwurst and other sausages will be in the Brat Belt of the U.S. in states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kewauskum<\/a>, Klement\u2019s<\/a>, Carle\u2019s<\/a>, and Usinger\u2019s<\/a> are just a few of the famous sausage makers from this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hopefully you\u2019re familiar with brats but we\u2019ll start at the beginning, just in case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bratwurst is\u00a0traditionally made from pork and veal<\/a>, with a fairly light load of spices added. Some bratwursts are now made with a pork and beef mixture but traditionalists will argue that the only real brat is one that includes pork and veal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its first evidence states back to as old as 228 AD, in the Franconian city of Nuremberg. This city remains true to its roots and is now an international center for sausages, especially grilled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bratwurst is longer and coarser than the usual sausage types. In upper mid-western America, these are usually served with cheddar cheese and hot jalapeno peppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brats are light in color and in taste, without much initial seasoning when they\u2019re made. They\u2019re served on hard rolls and often topped with onions and stone ground mustard<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Different brat recipes<\/a> call for different seasonings \u2014 including nutmeg, mace, marjoram, and ground caraway seeds \u2014 but the spice load is generally pretty low with bratwurst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brats are often\u00a0simmered in beer<\/a>\u00a0prior to (or even after)\u00a0they are grilled<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bratwurst sausages are mostly celebrated in fests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A must-have for the audience in various outdoor games of soccer or baseball. A good first date at a great hot sausage stands in the rain. Making up by munching on these while reminiscing of old memories with your best friend after a fight. In all these scenarios, a tasty Bratwurst is what you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are a spicy eater, you do have the option of adding onion, garlic, parsley, or other herbs and spices of your liking to take it up a notch, suitable to your taste buds. A touch of white wine and vinegar does it tons good too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Originally called ‘Knackwurst’ as its North German (Holstein) name, but later in North America, it came to be known as ‘<\/strong>Knockwurst.\u2019<\/strong> This one is a short and fat type of sausage sometimes cut into two for easy edibility. It is known for its delicious seasoning.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The North American variation is more popular than the German version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional knockwurst are smaller in size and usually made with much more beef \u2014 sometimes made entirely from beef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes its name from the German terms \u201cknacken\u201d \u2014 to crack \u2014 and \u201cknackig\u201d or crisp; when cooked and eaten the sausage itself which tends to crackle and break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The origins of this trace back to Oktoberfest of 1810. At the celebration of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria’s marriage to Princess Therese, knockwurst was served in the form of stew. Its serving as stew form got lost through the years, and now it is simply served on a stick or in a bun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The small size makes it a perfect finger food as it\u2019s easier to handle than larger sausages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knockwurst is more heavily seasoned and includes garlic, salt, and other spices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Constitutes veal (meat of young cattle) or pork mostly. A pod or two of garlic is added for the seasonings, and then the meat is wrapped in a hog casing, which is the pig intestine casing. It is of the smoked variety and is not consumed raw but cooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knockwurst in the U.S. is often more similar to\u00a0bratwurst<\/a>\u00a0in size and shape and can be made with pork added as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The credit of such finger-licking goodness goes to aging it for at least five days and smoking over special oak wood. It is further cooked by either grilling or poaching (cooked perfectly outside while the inside is still a bit raw).<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn This Corner: Bratwurst<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Bratwurst\"](\"https:\/\/bratsandbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Bratwurst.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAnd in This Corner: Knockwurst<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Knockwurst\"](\"https:\/\/bratsandbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/knockwurst.jpg\")
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