In Dutch cuisine, there is one type of sausage that everyone knows: the typical Dutch ‘Rookworst’, which literally translates to ‘smoked sausage’. This traditional dish, beloved on a vegetable stew, on a sandwich or just off the cuff with mustard after visit to the classic retailer Hema, is a true Dutch classic.
But what really makes a smoked sausage a true ‘Rookworst’, and how can you make it yourself?
What is “rookworst”?
Rookworst is a sausage that has been smoked. This gives it a wonderful smell, a distinctive spicy flavor and its golden yellow color. You generally eat a smoked sausage warm. In addition, another characteristic of the smoked sausage is the unique “snap” when you bite into it, a result of the specific preparation method and the casing that holds the sausage meat. The taste of the meat is also distinctive, from the spices to your choice of meat. Finally, smoked sausage has a distinctive ring shape. All these elements contribute to the overall delicious smoked sausage experience all Dutch grew up with.
So, if we want to make our own smoked sausage, all of the above elements need to come together: the right taste, the right juiciness, the right color, the right shape and the right snap.
Materials you need to make your own rookworst
Ingredients for making your own rookworst
The steps of making real Dutch Rookworst yourself
- 1
Soak your casings to make them flexible. This is a very important step. The softer and more supple your casings, the better your ‘snap’ when you bite into the rookworst. So soak them at least overnight in plenty of water, which you change regularly.
- 2
Cut your meat. Cut it into approximately 2×2 cm sized cubes. Immediately put the meat back in the refrigerator.
- 3
Weigh out spices and additives.
- 4
Add your spices and additives to your cold meat
- 5
Grind the meat very finely with the mincer. Make sure it stays cold.
- 6
Mix the meat very well, with the ice water until sticky.
- 7
Stuff the meat tightly into the casings. For a good snap, it is important that the smoked sausage is stuffed very tight.
- 8
Shape the sausage into the distinctive ring shape. Check the video below for the technique.
- 9
Dry the sausage for several hours to overnight, until the skin no longer feels moist.
- 10
Cold smoke the sausage at up to 25 degrees Celsius until golden. This will take around eight hours, but let your eyes be the judge.
- 11
The sausage is still raw, so before eating, poach the sausage in hot water at about 80 degrees for about 15 minutes.
How do you generate ‘cold smoke’?
When making rookworst, the sausage is smoked but not heated. It remains raw and is cooked in a later step. This requires the smoke to remain at a temperature below the cooking temperature of meat. Usually we aim for anywhere between 20-30 degrees Celsius. The easiest wat to ‘cold smoke’ your sausages is to either use a cold smoke generator, which produces very little smoke (and thus very little heat as well). It’s formed like a ring and will generate smoke for up to 8 hours. The alternative is to make sure that your sausages are as far away from the heat of the smouldering wood as possible, often by using a tube between two smokers in which the smoke cools.
How to tie a traditional rookworst?
Tying rookworst is an art in itself. It ensures that the sausage keeps its shape during the smoking and cooking process. This skill takes practice, but with the right technique, you get beautiful, artisanal smoked sausages.
In this video, Meneer Wateetons shows exactly how to knot your own smoked sausage (English subtitles can be turned on)
How do you poach a rookworst
When you make, or buy, a Rookworst, it’s usually still raw. That means you still have to cook it before you eat it. And, of course, a smoked sausage is much tastier warm than cold. How do you do cook it?
The important thing is that you never actually ‘cook’ a sausage. That will destroy it. It will burst. You slow poach a smoked sausage in hot water of around 80 degrees Celsius . The water should not show a lot of bubbles. If you do not have a thermometer, you can also use as a rule of thumb that you are allowed to see some small air bubbles at the bottom of your pan, but the water itself should not boil. Cook your smoked sausage for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Then it will warm and done, but not overcooked.
Want to learn more about making your own smoked sausage?
If you want to learn more about making your own smoked sausage and all other types of sausage, check out the Worstbijbel by Meneer Wateetons (Dutch). Check out our English spoken workshop in which you will learn the theory and practice of making fresh sausages.
About Meneer Wateetons
Meneer Wateetons is a renowned Dutch foodwriter, teacher, fermentation specialist, sausage maker and the owner of startercultures.eu. He has written 9 books on culinary topics such as fermentation, alcohol making, sausages and charcuterie making and deep frying. He has taught many hobbyists, chefs and food professionals about these topics.
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