Difference between Liver Pudding, Bratwurst, Blood Pudding, and Liverwurst

I'm having trouble explaining the difference between Liver Pudding, Bratwurst, Blood Pudding, and Liverwurst to a friend.
We're primarily interested in Liver Pudding. We remember it as a pate like mix surrounded by a layer of fat. Is that correct? So many of the German & Eastern European Sausages are hard to disingush by name. Many are very close by ingredients . HELP!!!

Good luck!  I generally think of it this way: liverwurst is actually pork liver; livere pudding is pork liver and, other pork bits (brains, stuff like that), and some sort of meal (cornmeal) all pressed together in a way that you could cut off a slice and cook it, or actually sort of disassemble it (for example, make a sort of scrapple out of it).  The various wursts are various: ground pork, veal, maybe even beef, alone or in various combinations, seasoned according to a local tradition (brat or knockwurst from one town in Germany or Alsace, for example, may not be the same as a bratwurst or knockwurst from another even nearby town), then stuffed into a casing.  Blood (also Black) Pudding is made with blood, and other meats.  Pig's blood, cattle blood, maybe goat or sheep or who only knows what, mixed with a ground filler then stuffed into a casing.  The medieval French made a boudain which was a blood sausage, and chicken blood is known to be used to braise a chicken in.
 
Perhaps THE best way to explain the differences is to get some of each, sit your friend down, have him or her try a bit of each (maybe both cold and hot) and only after reveal what's actually in them.

I don't think blood pudding, blood sausage, or bludwurst normally contain any liver - thus they would not seem to have anything to do with liver sausage, liverwurst, or liver pudding except that they are all usually found in the form of a sausage. (By sausage, I mean an encased ground product not much larger than an inch in diameter.)

Bratwurst seems to have a wide variety of recipes. The "white hots" of western NYState are , I believe, a variety of bratwurst (or maybe weissewurst). Some bratwurst I've had seem quite livery, and some seem to have no liver at all, while some are very fine pates' and others quite coarsely ground. 

Liverwurst and Laberkasse, in my experience, are usually rolls of finely ground liver and fat and spices about 4- 6  inches in diameter and stuffed in a natural casing. Laberkasse is usually eaten warm, while liverwurst is usually eaten cold or room temperature. Laberkasse keeps only a day or two in our refrigerator, while liverwurst is good for a week or so. 

Then we can get into scrapple and livermush...

Cheers, John 
 

I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote the above: Laberkasse always comes in a kind of meat loaf shape - it never has a casing.

John 
 

what happened to Braunsweiger?

Braunschweiger is a type of liverwurst to me. In Minnesota I've seen braunschweiger and liverwurst used interchangeably in descriptions. It is a smooth uniform looking semi-solid pasty sausage of mostly pork spiced with liver served sliced.

Bratwurst is a type of linked sausage that are made with a variety of meats and other ingredients from wild rice to apple to cheddar to cranberries. You name it it can be used. There is one place in Wisconsin that includes lutefisk.

Davydd


Braunschweiger is a type of liverwurst to me. In Minnesota I've seen braunschweiger and liverwurst used interchangeably in descriptions. It is a smooth uniform looking semi-solid pasty sausage of mostly pork spiced with liver served sliced.

Davy, I used to think that, but got an education here:
 
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/612091

bill voss

Davydd


Braunschweiger is a type of liverwurst to me. In Minnesota I've seen braunschweiger and liverwurst used interchangeably in descriptions. It is a smooth uniform looking semi-solid pasty sausage of mostly pork spiced with liver served sliced.

Davy, I used to think that, but got an education here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/612091

Those are a lot of varied opinions but the product doesn't seem to be that much different. Like I said, here in Minnesota they use the term interchangeably. I do remember the braunschweiger of my childhood in Indianapolis in the 50s was a more knife spreadable product and none of the braunschweigers I've tried in Minnesota now can be easily spread on bread with a knife. I may go out to Mackenthun's Meats & Deli in St. Bonifacius, MN this afternoon and buy some of their made on premise braunschweiger to see if it is different the the mass market supermarket varieties.

cool.

The main difference is that JRPfeff will not be holding any taste-offs to determine the best liver pudding, blood pudding, or liverwurst in Wisconsin.

Brad

I apparently used to love liverwurst when I was a kid, I had no idea what was in it. I haven't had any in probably 30 years, and don't really remember what it tasted like. Now that I actually know what's in it, I'll have to pick some up soon.

All I remember is having it on white bread with yellow mustard... anyone have any suggestions for complimentary items for me to try out with it?

Durkees & Red Onions!

When you say Durkees, what do you mean? Isn't Durkee a brand with different products under it?

http://www.durkee.com/homeuse/spices-famous-sauce.php

Ok, I can get behind that one! Hopefully I can find it locally.