# Ketchup on Bratwurst-- abomination or not?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 21, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439 "2003-11-21T03:36:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![MinniePurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MinniePurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinniePurl)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/1 "2003-11-21T03:36:07Z")

</div>

I made bratwursts tonight. I set out spicy brown mustard and a choice of sweet or dill relish to go with them. My husband rolled his eyes and said “I don’t know how you can eat bratwurst without ketchup.” I replied, “Because ketchup on Bratwurst is an abomination!” I admit, I do put ketchup on hot dogs-- although I do use fresh tomato if I have it around or it’s an especially high-quality hot dog. But ketchup on bratwurst is just not right, IMNSHO. So, who is right? Me or my husband?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/2 "2003-11-21T03:49:30Z")

</div>

Ketchup on _anything_ is an abomination…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Palewriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@Palewriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palewriter)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/3 "2003-11-21T04:24:17Z")

</div>

If you buy a bratwurst at a sausage stand in Berlin, they’ll offer you mustard AND ketchup. I guess they know what they’re doing when it comes to wurst.

Let hubby use the condiments of his choice. Do we really need more rules? I like red wine with fish, so shoot me.

- PW

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/4 "2003-11-21T04:51:59Z")

</div>

Tomato catsup on bratwurst is an offense against nature. I don’t know about Berlin or where ever you were getting your bratwurst, **Palewriter** , but forty years ago in the Rheinland-Pfalz, in Frankfurt, in Mannheim, in Giessen, in Wurtzberg, in Schweinfurt, in by God Weildflicken (there’s no ‘flicken like Weildflicken, it’s like no ‘flicken I know), even in Graefenwohr Town and Feurt and Neurnberg you got your bratwurst from one of those crappy little schnell imbis wagons and you got it with sharp, hot, not quite yellow German mustard, and you liked it. Even better was the Rotwurst and the Pomes Frits–damn they were gooood! The chopped horsemeat burgers were pretty good too, with mustard. Catsup may be a creeping Americanism, like blue jeans.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/5 "2003-11-21T05:00:57Z")

</div>

I generally don’t add any condiments to bratwurst.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/6 "2003-11-21T05:58:37Z")

</div>

I eat it with onions and peppers on a roll. No sauces.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/7 "2003-11-21T06:47:42Z")

</div>

Well, Bratwurst by itself is an abomination, no need to add ketchup.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/8 "2003-11-21T06:50:20Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Crafter\_Man \*  
> \*\*Ketchup on _anything_ is an abomination… \*\*

I was going to post the exact same thing. Down to the italics.

Ketchup. Ugh.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/9 "2003-11-21T11:23:24Z")

</div>

I never used to, but I do now mostly.

You see, my wife can only make bratwurst by cutting it into small pieces and frying it up with potatoes. I tried to show her how to grill them or steam them, but she thinks it doesn’t taste right that way.

The only way I can choke down her way is to coat it with ketchup.

Now mayo on anything, that’s the abomination.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![LowerLip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/839c29/32.png) [@LowerLip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LowerLip)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/10 "2003-11-21T12:03:48Z")

</div>

Mayo on bratwurst! Jeeez Louise!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/11 "2003-11-21T16:44:51Z")

</div>

We are having a bratwurst lunch today in the faculty lounge. There will be onions, relish, and mustard offered.

NO KETCHUP!! (shudder)

Count me in the “It is an abomination” camp.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/12 "2003-11-21T17:26:42Z")

</div>

Wow. It would never have occured to me to put ketchup on bratwurst. But if that’s his thing, hey, why not? The next time you serve bratwurst, just set out the mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, tobasco sauce, salsa, marinara sauce, lemon juice, ranch dressing, honey, Cool Whip, and Hershey’s chocolate syrup, and leave it up to him which ones he wants to use.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/13 "2003-11-21T17:28:42Z")

</div>

C’mon. Why is it so unacceptable to enjoy ketchup on bratwurst that it shouldn’t even be offered to those who want it? I, for one, wouldn’t be happy to eat a bratwurst-on-a-bun without ketchup and mustard both.

I suppose I don’t understand this horrible “ketchup = abomination!” thing. It’s not like I put ranch dressing on my sweet potato casserole.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/14 "2003-11-21T17:31:41Z")

</div>

German mustard, carmelized onions, and sauerkraut. It’s what I’m having for dinner tonight!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/15 "2003-11-21T17:40:01Z")

</div>

Ketchup is _not_ in and of itself an abomination. It has perfectly good use with fries and onion rings and tater tots and meatloaf. Although that’s pretty much it.

Ketchup on Bratwurst, however, is very much a Bad Thing.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![\_Deep\_F\_ied](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/7cd45c/32.png) [@\_Deep\_F\_ied](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Deep_F_ied)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/16 "2003-11-21T17:45:11Z")

</div>

Abomination…pure and simple.  
Meat gets mustard.  
Potatoes get ketchup.  
sheesh.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/17 "2003-11-21T18:04:09Z")

</div>

Ketchup on potatoes makes me retch. What did the potato do to deserve being drowned in sugared tomatoes? Now, a little mayo on the side for fries ain’t bad, but then I spent way too much time living in Europe.

**Gelding** : you can get almost any abomination at the imbiss stands now, including curried ketchup and other variations. But ketchup on wurst of any kind is just plain sick. Any condiment should complement the food, not overpower it. If you want sugar, upend the sugar bowl and get it done with.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/18 "2003-11-21T20:07:07Z")

</div>

Mayo is vile and disgusting, and whoever invented it should be shot. And hanged. And set on fire. At the same time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/19 "2003-11-21T20:08:45Z")

</div>

C’mon **Chefguy** , tell us how you really feel. Don’t sugar coat it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439/20 "2003-11-21T20:12:22Z")

</div>

Oh Dark Lord **DreadCthulhu** , when you finally get around to taking over the world will you get rid of mayo altogether, or keep it around as a way of torturing your victims? 😉

And how do you feel about aioli? 🆒

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-bratwurst-abomination-or-not/214439.md?page=2)
