If you know Landjäger, you know this is an outstanding meat snack. Move over beef jerky and salami sticks — Landjäger are a traditional German smoked meat stick made from a mixture of pork and beef. They can be hard to find in the USA, and commercially available versions sometimes include ingredients that aren’t traditionally German. Below is an authentic German-style recipe and technique for making Landjäger at home. Be aware that this process requires experience with sausage making and special equipment.
Note: This recipe is provided as-is and cannot guarantee results. Proper sausage-making equipment and experience are important. The recipe is traditional and proven in Germany, but the final outcome depends on skill, ingredients, and conditions. Proceed at your own risk.
Ingredients — Landjäger
Natural pork casings
30% beef
70% pork belly
Spices per kilogram of meat:
27 g curing salt or sea salt
1 g starter culture
2 g black pepper, ground
3 g raw sugar
0.5 g caraway seeds, ground
0.2 g coriander, ground
Optional: garlic, paprika
Find authentic Landjäger produced in the USA at specialty retailers
A compact, protein-rich snack ideal for outdoor activities and long shelf life when stored correctly.
Preparation and Cooking Instructions — Landjäger
Overview: The steps below summarize a traditional method. Exact timing can vary by salt type, humidity, temperature, and equipment. Follow food-safety best practices and use reliable, calibrated tools.
- Trim and cut the pork belly and beef into small pieces. Place the meat in the freezer briefly until it is slightly firm but not frozen solid; this helps with clean grinding.
- Combine the meat with all spices and starter culture, mixing thoroughly by hand in a chilled bowl to distribute seasonings evenly.
- Grind the meat using a meat grinder equipped with a 4 mm plate for a fine, cohesive texture.
- Stuff the mixed, ground meat into natural pork casings, aiming for about 100 g of meat per casing for consistent stick size.
- Flatten each sausage slightly using a flat wooden spoon or board to create the characteristic shape.
- Tie or twist the ends and secure with kitchen twine so the sticks hold their form during drying and smoking.
- Press them flat by placing a board on top and leaving them for 30–60 minutes to set their shape.
- Hang the sticks in a cool, well-ventilated room (a cool bathroom or dedicated curing chamber) for 24–48 hours. If you use sea salt rather than curing salt, a longer drying period (up to 48 hours) is often recommended. The goal is mild drying before cold smoking.
- Cold-smoke the Landjäger for approximately 5 hours. Cold smoking imparts smoke flavor without significant heat — maintain low temperatures so the product does not cook. Use an established cold-smoking method or chamber and appropriate hardwood smoke for best results.
For a visual guide, consult a trusted video or demonstration from an experienced sausage-maker. If you have detailed or technical questions about equipment, starter cultures, or precise curing times and temperatures, consult an experienced charcuterie or food-safety resource. When in doubt, reach out to the recipe author or a professional butcher for clarification.