Go Back
Schaschlik skewers with Chilli Beef Frankfurter, onions and peppers simmering in a thick paprika-tomato Imbiss sauce in a large pan.

Imbiss-Style Schaschlik Skewers With Chilli Beef Frankfurter

Imbiss-style Schaschlik skewers are a German snack-bar classic: browned sausage chunks threaded with onions and peppers, finished in a thick paprika-tomato sauce that clings perfectly to fries. This chef-style version uses Chilli Beef Frankfurter for consistent bite, gentle heat and reliable service performance—ideal for hot-holding and fast plating in a busy Imbiss. Serve in a takeaway box with chips or crusty bread for the full “German street food” experience.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the skewers
  • Chilli Beef Frankfurter: 1.6–2.0 kg cut into 4–5 cm chunks
  • White onions: 800 g cut into 2–3 cm “petals” for skewering
  • Mixed peppers red/green: 800 g (2–3 cm squares)
  • Neutral oil rapeseed: 60 ml
  • Salt: 10 g
  • Black pepper: 5 g
  • Smoked paprika: 10 g
  • Optional: garlic powder 5 g use lightly; keep it “Imbiss”, not Italian
For the Imbiss Schaschlik sauce (hot-hold base)
  • Onions finely sliced: 800 g
  • Mixed peppers strips: 600 g
  • Rapeseed oil: 60 ml
  • Tomato paste: 200 g
  • Ketchup: 500 g
  • Passata / sieved tomatoes: 1 000 g
  • Beef stock: 800 ml or water + stock concentrate
  • Paprika sweet: 20 g
  • Smoked paprika: 10 g
  • Curry powder optional, light “Imbiss” note: 6–8 g
  • Worcestershire sauce: 30 ml
  • White vinegar: 40 ml
  • Brown sugar: 30–40 g adjust to balance
  • Salt: 18–22 g start lower; correct at end
  • Black pepper: 6 g
  • Cornflour slurry for thickness: 40 g cornflour + 80 ml cold water (use only if needed)
  • Optional “Imbiss finish”: 1–2 tsp MSG for a big snack-bar savoury hit only if your operation uses it.

Method
 

Build the sauce base (this is your service engine)
  1. Heat oil in a large pot or rondeau on medium-high.
  2. Add sliced onions and cook 8–10 min until softened and lightly golden at edges.
  3. Add pepper strips, cook 4–5 min to soften slightly but keep some texture.
  4. Add tomato paste, cook out 2–3 min (important: remove raw taste).
  5. Add ketchup + passata, stir until homogeneous.
  6. Add stock, bring to a steady simmer.
  7. Season: paprika(s), pepper, curry (optional), Worcestershire, vinegar, sugar, salt (start lower).
  8. Simmer 15–20 min, stirring occasionally to prevent catching.
  9. Consistency target: thick enough to cling to skewers and fries, not watery.
  10. If too thin after simmering, add cornflour slurry gradually while simmering, until it nappes the back of a spoon.
Prep and build skewers (batch)
  1. Cut Frankfurter into 4–5 cm chunks (bigger looks more “Imbiss” and holds better in sauce).
  2. Cut onions into petals and peppers into 2–3 cm squares for threading.
  3. Toss Frankfurter pieces lightly with oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika (and optional garlic powder).
  4. Assemble skewers: Frankfurter → onion → pepper → repeat (4–5 sausage chunks per skewer).
  5. Use metal skewers for service; soaked bamboo works for home or events.
Sear/grill the skewers for flavour (don’t skip)
  1. Goal: browning + a little char. This creates the “stall” taste.
  2. Plancha / flat top: 2–3 min per side
  3. Chargrill: 3–5 min total, turning
  4. Heavy pan: 6–8 min total, in batches
  5. You are not “cooking from raw” here—Frankfurter is ready-to-eat—so you’re building colour and flavour.
Finish in sauce (the Imbiss signature)
  1. Lay seared skewers into the simmering sauce (single layer if possible, then stack).
  2. Simmer gently 6–10 min so the skewers are fully hot and sauce clings.
  3. Hold at ≥63°C for service.
Service options:
  1. Fastest: hold skewers in sauce; plate/box to order.
  2. Best texture: hold sauce hot, keep skewers warm/dry, dip/finish 2–3 min in sauce to order.