The Old-School Spreadable Sausage We Don't See People Eat Anymore

By appearance alone, this classic lunchmeat is already at a disadvantage. The name does it a further disservice. But liverwurst, a soft, spreadable liver sausage, was once a very popular foodstuff. This old-school lunch staple has fallen out of favor in recent years due to a variety of factors, but it is one that is due a resurgence.

At first glance, liverwurst looks a little bit like bologna, another pink paste lunchmeat that you can find in the deli meats area of the grocery store. But, unlike bologna, it is still quite soft. The sausage is made from — you guessed it — liver, ground up with other meats, aromatics, and spices. In general, liver is not high on many people's grocery lists these days. However, when combined with pork, bacon, onions, and spices, and lightly smoked — a fairly common preparation for braunschweiger liverwurst — this is a very different experience than the slabs of liver with onions you might have been served growing up. Liverwurst is more akin to pâté, a soft, smooth liver sausage that is an uncommon but delicious deli meat for sandwiches, and a great addition to a charcuterie board.

This foodstuff was once enough of a staple that, coincidentally, it was served both at a luncheon between General Dwight Eisenhower and New York Mayor La Guardia to celebrate the Allied victory in World War II, and also alongside champagne at the wedding reception for Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun. How did this liver sausage that was apparently popular on both sides of one of history's greatest cultural divides lose its favor?

Much like bologna, liverwurst can be a deli meat made with low-quality ingredients. There are certainly high-end liverwurst offerings out there, but what you will often find at the store is made with the trimmings from industrial meat production. While most deli meats are highly processed, few are so clearly made from the scraps as bologna and liverwurst. But perhaps the most devastating cause of the decline of liverwurst was a deadly listeria outbreak.

In 2024, Boar's Head issued its largest deli meat recall, and liverwurst was the culprit. This particular listeria outbreak included not only liverwurst, but eight additional products that were made on the same line, for a total of over 200,000 pounds of products. Listeria is a very dangerous pathogen, and tragically this outbreak led to 61 individuals falling ill in 19 states, as well as 10 deaths. After the recall, Boar's Head permanently discontinued liverwurst production.

Despite being the culprit behind this tragic event, liverwurst is no more prone to listeria contamination than other deli meats, and the USDA attributed the outbreak to poor sanitation in the factory. All deli meats, because of their long shelf life and ready-to-eat properties, are susceptible to listeria contamination. But when some individuals' first time hearing about a particular foodstuff is at the center of a deadly recall, it is bound to take a hit in the market.

The recall is now long over, and was limited to Boar's Head products. Liverwurst is a perfectly safe and delicious spreadable sausage that you can use like pâté, or simply spread on a sandwich alongside mayonnaise or a nice brown mustard.