Before Bologna, This German Sausage Sandwich Ruled The 1900s

Food trends come and go, and what was once a beloved meal may become nearly forgotten a few decades on. This is the case with a German-style sausage called braunschweiger. It used to be super popular, but alas, like another sandwich meat of yore, olive loaf, it has fallen off the culinary radar.

Lots of people (yours truly included) grew up eating this soft smoked sausage with a distinctive liver-y tang. It's typically made using pork, pork liver, and bacon, though it can include beef or veal, and by U.S. law must be made using 30% liver. A classic braunschweiger sandwich includes raw onions, mustard, and butter, with some versions also having pickles, mayonnaise, and a tomato slice.

Before bologna's heyday as the go-to cheap lunch meat in the mid-20th century, braunschweiger filled that role. The American version was named for the German city of Braunschweig, where a prototypical smoked raw pork sausage called mettwurst was historically eaten. We've found ads for the American version of the sausage dating to the 1880s, and by the early 20th century, there was a wide variety of brands making braunschweiger commercially. One of these companies was Oscar Mayer, which was advertising this sausage in newspapers at least as far back as 1914. Not only was it a staple lunch meat at home, but it could also be found at restaurants. So what happened to braunschweiger?

Braunschweiger may not be as popular as it once was, but it's definitely still around. Oscar Mayer continues to make it, and there are other brands out there as well, such as Jones Dairy Farm and Schaller & Weber. There are still some small enclaves in the United States where it remains popular. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for example, you'll find a classic version of the sandwich at Max's Allegheny Tavern.

Wisconsin still loves its braunschweiger as well. You'll find it on the menu of a variety of restaurants and sandwich shops, including Baumgartner's Cheese Store and Tavern in Monroe, and in several spots in Madison, like The Old Fashioned. If you happen to be in Portland, Oregon, for 24 hours, stop in at the German restaurant Prost! and chow down on a plate of braunschweiger with rye toast and apple slices.

Although braunschweiger may not have the same cachet it did 100 years ago, perhaps it will have a resurgence. After all, there are a variety of U.S. restaurants getting creative with bologna sandwiches these days, so perhaps a nationwide braunschweiger redux will be next on the menu.