Wurstebrei

A rustic, dark preparation where pearl barley pops under the teeth amidst meltingly tender meat. A bold aroma, marked by warm spices and the character of long-reduced cooked blood.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 105 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1419
• Protein: 38 g
• Carbs: 53 g
• Fat: 115 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Pork belly ( whole )
• 2 piece Onion ( peeled and halved )
• 250 g Pearled barley ( rinsed )
• 250 ml Beef blood ( liquid )
• 2 tsp Marjoram ( chopped )
• 1 tsp Hot pepper de la Jamaïque ( ground )
• 2 piece Clove ( whole )
• 30 g Lard
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Poaching the meat

   Place the pork belly in a pot with halved onions, cloves, and allspice. Cover with water. Simmer until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.

2. Cooking the barley

   Remove the meat and strain the broth. Measure 750 ml of this broth and add the pearl barley. Cook over low heat until the grain is tender and the liquid is almost completely absorbed. The mixture should become sticky.

3. Grinding and binding

   Finely mince the cooked meat with a knife. Mix the meat with the cooked barley, marjoram, and beef blood. Season generously with salt and pepper. The mass should be homogeneous and a very dark brown.

4. Pan finishing

   Heat the lard in a large skillet. Pour in the preparation and let it thicken over medium heat, stirring often. When the mixture heavily coats the spoon and starts to stick slightly to the bottom, it's ready.

Chef's tips

• The secret is in the seasoning: blood and barley absorb a lot of salt, so don't be too light-handed.
• If the mixture is too dry in the pan, loosen it with a little of the remaining cooking broth.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, pan-fry with a small knob of lard to restore its melting texture.