Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst: Taste, Nutrients and Calories

What Is Braunschweiger?

Braunschweiger is a German sausage named after the city of Braunschweig (Brunswick in English), where it was first made.

This sausage is made from ground pork livers, pork scraps, and seasonings and can also include pork organs such as kidneys or heart.

Braunschweiger is usually sold pre-cooked and can be eaten cold, either sliced or spread on bread and crackers. Its smooth texture makes it easy to spread, but it also holds its shape well enough to be sliced.

It has a rich and savory taste with a strong livery and smoky flavor and a light brown to pinkish-brown color.

Also, Braunschweiger can be added to low-carb diets such as Keto, since it has a low level of carbohydrates and high levels of fat but that’s not all.

Nutrients

You can see the nutritional values of 100 grams of Braunschweiger sausage in the following table [1]:

You can buy ready and pre-cooked Braunschweiger, but to enjoy a higher quality Braunschweiger without any additional preservatives, you can easily make it at home.

How to Make Braunschweiger?

Making Braunschweiger at home lets you control the ingredients to make a fresher and healthier product.

It’s more cost-effective, and you can also season it based on your liking and avoid additives.

You can prepare the following ingredients and take the steps mentioned in the instructions to make 15 servings of Braunschweiger.

Ingredients

• 750 g pork liver
• 600 g chicken livers
• 600 g pork heart
• 200 g beef liver
• 1000 g pork belly
• 100 g salt pork or fatty bacon

For Seasoning:

• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tbsp pepper
• ¼ tbsp coriander
• ⅕ tbsp nutmeg
• ⅕ tbsp ground mustard
• ⅕ tbsp sage
• ⅕ tbsp marjoram
• ⅕ tbsp ginger

Instructions

1. Simmer pork livers in water for 10 minutes.
2. Let them cool for a few minutes.
3. Grind all meats.
4. Put the mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Chop the chilled ground mixture in a blender or food processor.
6. Stuff the mixture into beef middles.
7. Cook the stuffed sausages in 165°F water for about 1 hour until they reach an internal temperature of 152°F.
8. Chill the cooked sausages in cold water.
9. Dry in a smoker at 100°F, then smoke for 5 hours at 120°F.
10. Store in a refrigerator overnight.
11. Remove from the refrigerator and enjoy!

Another well-known type of sausage is Liverwurst, which has an almost similar nutrition profile and preparation method to Braunschweiger, but one feature separates them: Liverwurst is not smoked.

Learning about the features of these sausages helps you make informed choices based on flavor, nutrition, and preparation methods, especially if you are on a weight loss diet, you need to choose the best food compatible with your diet rules.

Learn More: New York Strip vs. Ribeye: Nutrition and Taste

What Is Liverwurst?

Liverwurst, also known as liver sausage, is made from pork liver, which is popular throughout Europe, North America, and South America.

Liverwurst is made from a mixture of pork liver, meat, and fat, combined with various spices and seasonings. The ingredients and preparation methods vary in different regions, but common additions include onions, bacon, and spices, such as black pepper, marjoram, allspice, thyme, mustard seed, and nutmeg.

Liverwurst is spreadable but also holds its shape well enough to be sliced for sandwiches and appetizers.

It has a rich and savory taste with a strong liver flavor. The color of liverwurst ranges from light brown to pinkish-brown, depending on the ingredients and how it is made.

Like Braunschweiger, Liverwurst can be a part of different low-carb diets, even it’s a better choice than Braunschweiger as it has lower carbohydrate content.

Learn More: Can You Freeze Liverwurst? For How Long?

Nutrients

The following table shows the nutrient profile of 100 grams of Liverwurst [2]:

Like Braunschweiger, Liverwurst can also be bought ready-to-eat or you can easily make it at home.

How to Make Liverwurst?

For making 8 servings of Liverwurst you need the ingredients and instructions. If you don’t have a smoker, Liverwurst is a better choice as it doesn’t need smoking.

Ingredients

• 450 g pork liver
• 350 g pork butt
• 100 g pork fat
• 1 onion
• 3 tbsp powdered dry milk
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp mace
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Instructions

1. Grind liver, pork butt, and pork fat separately with a fine grinder blade.
2. Mix all ground meats together and grind them one more time.
3. Sprinkle onion, powdered dry milk, white pepper, salt, paprika, sugar, marjoram, coriander, mace, allspice, and cardamom over the ground meat and mix well.
4. Pack the mixture into a muslin casing, folding the open end to reach the bottom more easily.
5. Pack the meat as firmly as possible.
6. Stitch the open end closed or secure it with a wire twist tie.
7. Place the Liverwurst in a large pot and add enough water to cover it by 2-3 inches.
8. Increase the heat to bring the water to a boil.
9. Reduce heat when water starts boiling and let the sausage cook for 3 hours.
10. Drain the hot water and replace it with ice water. Let the Liverwurst sausage sit in the ice water until cool.
11. Place the sausage in the refrigerator overnight.
12. Remove the muslin casing before serving.
13. Enjoy and remember to eat it in 10 days.

Making these sausages at home without preservatives or artificial additives gives you a healthier option with rich nutrition, which can lead to the following health benefits.

Learn More: Porterhouse vs. Ribeye: Which One is Better? [Taste and Nutrients]

The Health Benefits of Braunschweiger and Liverwurst

The minerals found in Braunschweiger and Liverwurst can lead to the following positive health effects:

• Energy Boost: Both sausages are rich in protein, which helps maintain energy levels, supports muscle growth, and helps muscle repair [3].
• Blood and Nerve Health Support: These sausages are high in vitamin B12 and iron, crucial for red blood cell production and preventing anemia. Vitamin B12 also supports healthy nerves and brain function [4] [5].
• Eye Health Support: Braunschweiger and Liverwurst are rich in vitamin A, which is important for good vision and eye health [6].
• Heart Health Improvement: These sausages contain Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which helps keep your heart healthy by improving energy production in heart cells and protecting them from damage [7]. However, they should be consumed in moderation to avoid high cholesterol.
• Anti-Inflammatory Effects: The omega-3 fatty acids in these cured meats, help reduce inflammation and improve conditions like arthritis and heart disease [8].

Now that we know the benefits of Braunschweiger and Liverwurst, let’s compare them to find out which can be a better choice for adding to our diet.

Learn More: Carnivore Diet and Cholesterol: Everything You Should Know

Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst: Taste

• Braunschweiger tastes livery and gamey because of its higher liver content and has a smokey taste with a smoother texture.
• Liverwurst has a liver taste but less than Braunschweiger with a chunkier texture.

Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst: Nutrients

• Braunschweiger has higher protein, iron, sodium, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin E levels than Liverwurst.
• Liverwurst contains more calcium, magnesium, and vitamin A with fewer carbohydrates.
• They both have almost similar fat content (28.5 g).

Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst: Calories

• Both Braunschweiger and Liverwurst are high-calorie foods because their main ingredient is liver, which is naturally high in calories, and the addition of fatty meats like pork butt or fat boosts their calorie content even more.
• They have almost the same number of calories (327 and 326 kcal, respectively).

The table below summarizes the key differences between Braunschweiger and Liverwurst to help you easily compare them and choose the one that best fits your health and fitness goals.

Based on these differences in taste, texture, and nutrients, which one can be a better option?

Learn More: Can You Eat Pork Rinds on the Carnivore Diet?

Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst: Which One Is Better?

Choosing between Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst depends on your taste preferences, dietary needs, and how you want to use these sausages in your meals.

If you enjoy a strong smoky flavor, Braunschweiger is the better choice. It has a liver taste with smoky undertones that many like it.

But if you prefer a more balanced flavor, Liverwurst can be a better option. Also, its liver taste is less intense, making it a more versatile option for various dishes.

Both Braunschweiger and Liverwurst have a smooth and spreadable texture. However, Braunschweiger may be slightly easier to spread on bread or crackers. If you prefer a sausage that can also be sliced for sandwiches and appetizers, Liverwurst might be a better option, as it holds its shape better for clean slices.

Also, if you’re on a low-carb diet like Keto and Carnivore, it’s more important to choose high-fat and low-carb foods to stay on ketosis. So, which of these two cured meats can be better for these diets?

Learn More: Can You Freeze Braunschweiger? How Long Can You Store It?

Can You Have Braunschweiger and Liverwurst In a Low-Carb Diet?

For those on a low-carb diet like Keto or Carnivore, Liverwurst is slightly better because it contains fewer carbohydrates (2.2 g) than Braunschweiger (3.1 g).

Also, they both have a high amount of fat (28.5 g), which makes them suitable for these high-fat low-carb diets.

But you should know that some of the seasoning ingredients in these sausages like onion powder are not Carnivore-friendly.

So, if you’re following strict versions of the Carnivore Diet, it’s better to make Braunschweiger and Liverwurst sausages yourself and use alternative seasonings.

Learn More: 15 Simple Carnivore Soup Recipes with Chicken, Beef and Pork

Summary

Comparing Braunschweiger vs. Liverwurst shows that they have similarities in nutrients, especially calorie and fat content, but they differ in other aspects, such as carbohydrate content, taste, and preparation methods.

Also, remember to consume these cured meals in moderation, as they’re high in sodium and cholesterol which can lead to high blood pressure and heart issues.