Sausage Debate - What is the difference between Frankfurt and a Wiener

There are various types of sausages around the world. Among the numerous types of sausages around the world, the most common sausage that people would consume is the Frankfurter and the Wiener sausage.

Often times when we shop, we could see that the most ordinary sausages are either named the wiener or the Frankfurter but what is the difference between the Frankfurt and the Wiener?

 

 

To make the long story short, unfortuantely, there isn’t a reliable source of origin or method that explains the difference between a Frankfurt and Wiener.

 

What is a Sausage?

A sausage is a food with a casing that may origin from an animal intestine, collagen and sometimes plastic (inedible casing) filled with meat, spices and flavoring inside. Itself is a food technique used to preserve meat in a much longer period.

Smoking, curing, fermentation may be incorporated in the process of making sausages. The name sausage origins from the Latin ‘salsicus’ which means “seasoned with salt”.

 

 

The USA variant of the Italian salami the Peperoni, Polish Kielbasa, Spanish and Mexican Chorizo, Russian Kishka, French Saucisson, Chinese hóng cháng , and Korean Sundae are all various types of the sausage world. Among the various sausages, the Frankfurter and Wiener sausage are the most common type of sausage that is sold in the market.

 

 

There isn’t a distinctive difference between Frankfurter and Wiener – Length / Cooking Method / Components

Among various sources, there isn’t a distinctive characteristic defined for both the Frankfurter and Wiener even though these are the most common types of sausages in the market.

Some suggest that the following are the difference between the Frankfurter and Wiener but it seems there isn’t a definitive definition for each.

 

 

Length – Some believe that the Wiener is relatively shorter than the Frankfurter in common. However, this is also a relative perception that developed later after both sausages were made.

 

 

Cooking Method – Frankfurter are relatively known to have a thinner and a bit more fragile casing than the wiener.

Thus, Frankfurter sausage are often served after a simmer in hot water to prevent its casing to burst while the wiener sausage could be cooked in various methods other than a simmer in hot water.

 

 

Component of each sausage – Some believe that Frankfurters are made of pure pork while Wieners are made from a mixture of various types of meat.

However, like the other characteristics described above, there isn’t a definitive definition that defines each type of sausage.

 

 

About Frankfurter Sausages

A traditional Frankfurter sausage is a casing made from sheep intestines with a filling of pure pork. The name Frankfurter originates from the city of Frankfurt, Germany. The Frankfurt sausage earned its famous name by the protection by the German law.

The ‘Nach Frankfurter Act’ granted permission for sausages produced only in Frankfurt and some surrounding provinces to use the name ‘Frankfurter’ while it banned sausages produced in other cities from using the name ‘Frankfurter’.

 

 

Those sausages made in regions except for Frankfurt and the neighboring provinces must at least put ‘Frankfurter style’ or ‘Frankfurter like’ if they were to incorporate the term ‘Frankfurter’ for their sausages in Germany.

Frankfurter Würstchens which means sausage shops that sell Frankfurt sausages are places that tourists should visit when visiting Frankfurt which is the financial captial of Germany.

 

 

About Wiener Sausages and Vienna sausages

The traditional Wiener Sausage or the Viennese sausage refers to a sheep’s intestine casing filled with pork or beef. The term ‘Weiner’ means ‘From Vienna’ in German. Vienna has been the capital of Austria for a long time.

Ironically, although it has a long history of producing sausages, Austrians actually call the common sausages as Frankfurters and the term Wiener sausage refers to various types of sausages in Vienna.

Thus, it isn’t rather limited to a single type of sausage but more of an inclusive term meaning sausages made and served in Vienna.

 

 

Vienna Würstelstand which means sausage stands are one of the most famous attractions of Vienna. Bratwursts which are classic German style sausages which are lightly fried, Käsekrainer which are sausages with cheese chunks, paprika smoked Depreziner, and slightly boiled Frankfurters are the most famous types of sausages sold in the Vienna Würstelstands.