After a brief stint in the skillet, Xesc Menzl’s debrecener sausage emerges smoky, laced with spices and slightly piquant.

Juicy and finely textured, the debrecener requires no additional condiments thanks to its complex and fragrant medley of flavors.

One bite unleashes a pop of nutmeg and the heat of chili.

“The debrecener is a Hungarian sausage,” said Xesc Menzl owner-chef Kim Jung-hyun, 33, in an email interview.

“It is crafted with pork and pork back fat, caraway, marjoram, chili powder, nutmeg and other spices and then it is smoked.”

This one of the many delectable sausages at Xesc Menzl, a charcuterie that opened in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong in May 2019. 

This month, Xesc Menzl expanded to a second location inside Wine Works’ Hyundai Department Store Trade Center store.

At both locations, one will find a selection of artisanal sausages, cold cuts and hams that can be purchased to-go.

Kim explained how over the course of approximately a decade he traveled back and forth from Europe, primarily learning charcuterie in Austria, Spain and Italy.

One will find this reflected in the offerings at Xesc Menzl. 

There are beautiful, burnished red coils of the Spanish sausage, chistorra, which, when grilled, boasts a slightly crisp exterior, a lovely layer of ruddy oil and a hint of luscious heat.

“The chistorra is made with pork belly,” Kim said. “We judiciously combine both the fatty portions and the less fatty portions of the pork belly and add garlic, paprika and salt.”

“Our chistorra tastes best when grilled and layered over a baguette,” Kim recommended. 

Then there is the Bavarian sausage, weisswurst, which the helpful staff at the Wine Works location recommend poaching, then peeling off the skin of before enjoying with mustard.

“Our weisswurst is made with pork leg, belly and fat,” Kim explained, recommending that one poach the sausage for four to five minutes in hot water before eating. 

Kim also crafts sandwich-friendly cold cuts like Xesc Menzl’s mushroom wurst and honey ham.

“We are always working on new products,” Kim said, adding that there is more to come. “Right now we are testing out a loin ham, aspic and dry-cured coppa or pancetta.” 

Xesc Menzl Seongsu Store

1F, 322-20 Seongsu-dong 2-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends
(02) 6082-0309


Xesc Menzl in Wine Works Trade Center Store

Hyundai Department Store Trade Center B1, 159-7 Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. weekends

Sausages cost approximately 5,000 won per 100 grams, cold cuts approximately 5,500 won per 100 grams and hams around 6,000 won to 7,500 won per 100 grams

By Jean Oh (oh_jean@heraldcorp.com)