Mett

Lore & Background

The name Mett is derived from Low German for 'chopped pork meat without fat' or Old Saxon meti for 'food'. It consists of minced pork meat, generally seasoned with salt and black pepper, and regionally also with garlic or caraway, eaten raw. Chopped onion may be added, in which case it is known as Zwiebelmett. German law forbids mett being sold with a fat content exceeding 35%, and unless pre-packaged, it may be sold only on the day of production. Schinkenmett, prepared from the upper thigh, is considered especially fine. Coarse pork mett is produced in an industrial meat grinder, with pork processed in a semi-frozen state to preserve structure; food regulations do not permit temperatures over 2 °C.

Reader's Guide

Mett is a distinctive element of German culinary tradition, notable for being consumed raw despite being pork. Its legal regulation—limiting fat content to 35% and requiring same-day sale unless pre-packaged—reflects strict food hygiene standards. The dish is commonly eaten on bread rolls (Mettbrötchen) with raw onion, and since the 1950s has been presented at buffets as a Mettigel, a hedgehog-shaped mound with onion or pretzel spikes. Regional variations include Schinkenmett and coarse pork mett, while in Southern Germany it may be served on a lye bun. The dish has influenced similar preparations abroad, such as Hackepeter or carne de Onça in southern Brazil (made with raw beef), and the 'cannibal sandwich' in Wisconsin, attributed to 19th-century German immigration. Mett is distinct from steak tartare, which uses raw beef.

Did You Know?

• Mett is also known as Hackepeter in Northern Germany, Eastern Germany, and Berlin.
• Since the 1950s, mett has been served as a buffet dish shaped like a hedgehog, with onion 'spines'.