Braunschweiger vs. liverwurst: Kemen sausage taste test

It was about a year ago that Amy’s sister Donna, who now lives “up north,” stayed with us. She had been instructed by her husband to bring back some honest-to-goodness Braunschweiger, which, like honest-to-goodness Mexican food, cannot be found in their vicinity.

The particular brand that Barry was craving was Kemen, but try as we might, we could not find it in the deli cases at several Racine supermarkets. I was surprised, because Kemen seemed like a familiar name to me, although I don’t know much about liverwurst, or sausage in general. I haven’t paid enough attention to have strong brand preferences.

Searching the Web turned up no Kemen presence whatever, which was even more baffling. I expect every business in this day and age to have at least a basic Web site that turns up in the first page of Google results. Eventually, however, I was able to determine that Kemen now belongs to Silver Creek Specialty Meats of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Even today, I do not see that information on their Web site, nor in their listing on Savorwisconsin.com, but I am pleased to read this much:

Our products are best known for what isn’t there rather than what is. You won’t find any mechanically deboned poultry, only high quality beef and pork. Nor will you find any non-meat extenders, flours, starches, phosphates, MSG (monosodium glutamate), or HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein).

Eventually, to Donna’s delight, we did locate Kemen Braunschweiger at the Piggly Wiggly on Durand (4011 Durand Ave, 262-554-8681). We also bought a couple of competing brands, plus crackers and bread, and headed home for a taste test.

Donna and Barry were absolutely right. Kemen Braunschweiger is far superior to the rubbery, pungent liverwursts that many people rightfully avoid. It is creamy, spreadable, mellow and clean, with no disagreeable aftertaste.

I was an instant convert, and started reading more about liver sausage, liverwurst, and Braunschweiger. Apparently. “liverwurst” is an Americanized corruption of the German “leberwurst,” which is also known as “Kentucky pate.”

One liverwurst article by Brad Edmonds was particularly informative and entertaining. In it, he describes an Irish pub in Florida which serves a German-style sandwich featuring one pound of the meat product on hearty rye bread with raw white onions and mustard, plus a free beer (see the McGuire’s Liverwurst Sandwich picture). I have since assembled a similar (but less weighty) sandwich. It was alright, but the onion and mustard were distracting.

My favorite liver sausage platform is much simpler: either a crisp, thin cracker like Stoned Wheat Thins, or else a slice of sourdough toast. I like to spread the liver thin. You can have too much of a good thing.

In recent weeks, some of Amy’s other sisters insisted that we had still missed the pinnacle of liverwurst delight, which would be the Kemen Liver Sausage in the white wrapper as opposed to the Kemen Braunschweiger in the yellow. The same Piggly Wiggly store does carry both, so the other day we bought some of each along with some Win Schuler’s® Rye Snack Chips (tasty and crisp, but as it turns out, not neutral enough for testing purposes), and put our palates to work.

According to that Brad Edmonds story, Braunschweiger is a more spreadable sub-variety of liverwurst, often incorporating milk and eggs. The Kemen product does include dried skim milk, but both Kemen Braunschweiger and Kemen Liver Sausage are equally spreadable and delicious. As far as we can determine, the Braunschweiger includes slightly more spices and onion and perhaps a smokier flavor, whereas the Kemen Liver Sausage is more purely liver. The difference is very small, however, and otherwise the products are identical.

Our taste test has resulted in a tie. Either Braunschweiger or liver sausage is fine, just as long as it’s in a Kemen wrapper. It’s a great Wisconsin food product, and a perfect snack for a January afternoon.