Currywurst And Fries With Homemade Curry Ketchup Recipe

Whether you're looking for the perfect summer meal to enjoy with a cold beer or you're practicing your menu for an Oktoberfest party, you need to try this recipe for currywurst and fries with a special, homemade curry ketchup. "It's not often that I say, 'Woah! That is one flavorful sausage,'" says recipe developer Patterson Watkins. "There's just something about that curry ketchup that turns the ordinary, extraordinary. I'm not out here bashing bratwurst — brats are perfectly fine. But add curry ketchup, and wowzers." 

Clearly, it's the curry ketchup that makes this recipe a standout, and once you try it, you're likely to want to whip some up for every dippable dish you make. "What makes these German street food snacks so enticing is the added element of curry. Those aromatic and flavorful properties of the iconic spice blend (cardamom, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, and turmeric) really pair well with the sweet-tart homemade ketchup and savory brats," Watkins says. Plus, the whole recipe is ready to serve in about 35 minutes and calls for your favorite frozen fries — no slicing up potatoes required.

The vast majority of the ingredients you'll need to make this flavorful currywurst meal are for the curry ketchup. Because many of them are shelf-stable pantry items, you may not need to do much shopping, but definitely check your stock before you get started. For the sauce you'll need tomato paste, dark brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable or chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder, curry powder, Chinese five-spice powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. You'll also need bratwurst sausages, chopped parsley for garnish, and your favorite frozen french fries. Just pay attention to the preparation instructions for the fries so you time their cooking to match the brats. 

Because the brats will be roasted, make sure you preheat your oven to 425 F before doing anything else. Also, go ahead and line a baking sheet with parchment paper so it'll be ready when you need it. 

After that, just grab all the ingredients and spices needed for the ketchup (other than the salt and pepper) and add them to a small saucepan. Whisk until they're well combined. 

Place the saucepan on the stove and set the heat to medium-low, bringing the ketchup to a simmer. Cook the ketchup for 15 minutes, whisking frequently while the sauce thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the ketchup rest and cool for 5 minutes before seasoning it with salt and pepper to your liking. 

"You'll end up with a little less than ¾ cup, once all has simmered and reduced — plenty of ketchup for excess dunking (both for the fries and brats) and maybe a little for leftovers," Watkins says. 

Once the oven has preheated, place your brats on the prepared baking sheet and pop them in the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes. There's likely no need to flip them over as they cook — you're just waiting for them to brown lightly. "My brats come out just fine without needing a flip, but if you find that they are not cooking evenly, feel free to flip halfway through the cooking time," advises Watkins. 

And if you want to score your brats like Watkins does before you pop them in the oven, cut them about halfway through horizontally at regular intervals. "I score my brats for maximum curry ketchup infusion," she explains. 

This is also a good time to think about your french fries. You'll need to check the instructions on the bag to know the suggested baking temperature and time, but you might be pleasantly surprised to see how well it lines up with the brats. "The oven temperature for brat roasting is preheated to the most common fry-baking temp. So you can kick both off at close to the same time," says Watkins. 

When the brats have finished roasting, divide them between the 2 plates alongside the fries. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the curry ketchup over the sausages, then place the remaining ketchup in a serving bowl for dipping. Garnish the brats and fries with the chopped parsley, and set them out to serve. 

If you're looking to add even more to this German-inspired meal, Watkins says, "Go all-out 'Bavaria-style' and have a German street food feast! Grab some kimpir, pretzels, flammkuchen, bratkartoffeln, leberkäse, kartoffelpuffer...you name it! But for certain, don't skimp on the beer. A bubbly Witbier or super cold Kölsch will pair nicely with the currywurst flavor festessen." 

Just one thing to keep in mind: Once the brats and fries have been cooked, they don't keep very well. "The curry ketchup will certainly hold up to a week or 2 under refrigeration in a sealable container," Watkins says. "Cooked brats and french fries are another matter...best to nosh on them fresh from the fire."