German cuisine widely available, but do not play an important role. Meat is usually braised; fried dishes also exist, but these recipes usually originate from France and Austria. Several cooking methods used to soften tough cuts have evolved into national specialties, including "Sauerbraten" (sour roast), involving marinating beef, horse meat or venison in a vinegar or wine vinegar mixture over several days. A long tradition of sausage-making exists in Germany; more than 1,500 different types of sausage () are made. Most "Wurst" is made with natural casings of pork, sheep or lamb intestines. Among the most popular and most common are "Bratwurst",
Bratwurst pork and is heavily seasoned. Traditionally, it is grilled over a wood fire and served on a cut-open roll with mustard. The "Rote Wurst" (red sausage) is a favorite "Bratwurst" of the Swabian region. It is similar to the "Bockwurst", and is made from finely ground pork and bacon. Its taste is spicy. To prevent splitting during grilling or pan frying, an X is cut into the ends of the sausage, which opens during cooking. Sometimes a row of x-shaped cuts are made along its length. In 1438, bratwurst started to become popular in eastern Switzerland, especially in St. Gallen.