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A winning turn for the wurst

July 24, 2015

The 2015 German Grill and Barbeque Championship this weekend in Hennef near Bonn is not just about getting a sausage well-done: It's how you cook it that counts. The winner will pocket a 3,000-euro prize.

https://p.dw.com/p/1G4Fb
18th German Grill and BBQ Championship in Göppingen, Copyright: Daniel Maurer/dpa
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Maurer

47-year-old Michael Hoffmann, the reigning grill king, has already taken home several first prizes, but he’s convinced that women are more creative at the barbeque. "Men only put chucks, link sausages and maybe an ear of corn on the grill, but a woman might try a desert or throw on a fish." He’ll be called on to defend his title on July 25 and 26, 2015, in Hennef, North Rhine-Westphalia. Last year, he and his team won for the third time in a row.

Hoffmann says the most important thing is to take your time when barbequing. Deglazing meat with beer is the worst mistake you can make. "The scenario is always the same. The marinade is dripping onto the coals, they flare up, and the man reaches for a beer. The ashes swirl up and settle on the meat, coating it with carcinogens."

The contestants have to master one vegetarian dish, as well. The German Grill and Barbeque Championship is now in its twentieth year. Both professionals and amateurs compete. New this year is a contest with ingredients kept secret right up to the start.

ot/ak/mm (dpa, gbaev.de)