Frankfurter Würstchen — Germany

Frankfurter Würstchen are thin, smoked sausages made from finely ground pork, typically encased in a natural sheep casing and precooked before sale, so cooking at home is mainly a matter of gentle reheating rather than raw preparation. The sausages take their name from the city of Frankfurt am Main, where this style of smoked, skinny sausage is closely associated, though similar sausages are made and sold well beyond that city. They are reported from butcher shops, supermarkets and snack stands across Germany, sold in pairs or small bundles and eaten as a quick meal, a snack, or part of a larger plate. The casing gives a distinctive light snap when bitten, a texture prized by many eaters and achieved through the smoking and drying process the sausages undergo before sale. At home, the sausages are warmed by placing them in water kept just below boiling for several minutes; boiling itself is avoided because it can cause the casing to split. Once heated through, they are drained and served hot, most often with a spoonful of mustard, a side of bread rolls, and sometimes potato salad or sauerkraut. Variations exist in the fineness of the grind, the exact spicing, and the type of wood used for smoking, all of which shift the flavor from one producer to another. Some regions favor a milder spice mix while others add more pepper or nutmeg, and the sausages are eaten equally as a quick lunch and as part of a more composed plate with sides.