Currywurst is a popular German dish, and a staple of fast-food eating in the country. Its influence is so far-reaching that the dish is even served at McDonald’s, and is almost always accompanied by its own iconic fork (I used a spork in my photo, a fair alternative).
Currywurst was first served in the 1950s, in Berlin, as an object of Western influence; ketchup was introduced from the UK following World War II, and later paired with sausages, fries, and curry powder – the basic elements of Currywurst.
For today’s recipe, we’ll make a quick tomato sauce, subtly spiced, and serve it with your choice of sausage — anything from bratwurst to hot dogs will work. Before we build the sauce, be sure to get some potatoes in the oven, as they’re the most time-consuming element of this dead-simple recipe.
Currywurst (Gluten-free, Perfect Health Diet, Paleo, Primal)
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into fries
1/4 cup lard, duck fat, or coconut oil
salt to taste
for the sauce:
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce or fish sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp mild curry powder, more to serve
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper, more to taste
2 drops liquid smoke
salt to taste
1 pkg fully-cooked kielbasa or hot dogs of your choice
1. Prepare the fries. I suggest the “Perfect Oven Fries” recipe in Paleo Takeout (page 290) if you own the book, or this recipe for Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes. Both processes take about an hour to make, so prep them, get them in the oven, and we’ll put the rest together as they cook.
2. In a saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often; once it starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and allow the flavors to marry, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. As the fries continue to cook, and the sauce simmers, prepare the sausages or hot dogs. Add them to a pan and heat over medium-low, rolling and jostling every few minutes, until plump and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
4. Once the fries are ready, salt them to taste then transfer to a plate. Slice the sausage into bite-sized chunks and spoon the tomato sauce over the sausage pieces, then sprinkle on some curry powder and serve.