German cuisine is known for its diversity, heartiness and rustic quality. Several of Germany's border countries -- France, Austria, Belgium, and Czech Republic -- have influenced the country's cuisine. The use of spice blends and rubs used for beef tips vary among the different German regions; however, the cooking native to Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saarland provides a good representation of German flavors.
Bavaria
Bavarian-style rubs tend to utilize spices with soft, subtly-sweet flavor profiles, such as allspice (piment), and achieve balance with the inclusion of dried mustard seeds (senf-samen). Spice rubs common to this region often contain thyme (thymian), sage (weiser), rosemary (rosmarin), bay leaves (lorbeerblatter) and white pepper (weisser pfeffer). (See references one, two and three)
Lower Saxony
Germany's second-largest state, Lower Saxony, has a reputation for dense cheeses from the Harz mountains, rustic fare from the Heath region and vibrant seafood and shellfish from the north-eastern coast. Beef spice blends and rubs associated with this region usually include marjoram (majoran), juniper berries (wacholderbeere), white pepper, black pepper (schwarzer pfeffer) clove (gewurznelke), mustard seed, bay leaves, star anise (sternanis), rosemary, sage and sometimes dill.
Baden-Wuerttemberg
Baden-Wuerttemberg, in southwestern Germany, boasts four Michelin-rated restaurants and regional cuisine noted for its white asparagus, gaisburger marsch (a type of beef stew) and Black Forest ham. Ingredients used in spice rubs from this region contain allspice, mustard seed, curly parsley (petersilie), juniper berries, thyme, caraway seeds (kummel), chives (schnittlauch), rosemary, Dalmation sage, black pepper (schwarzer pfeffer) and crushed brown mustard seed.
Saarland
Saarland, the smallest German state, shares several elements of its cuisine with France, which borders it to the southwest. Herb and spice blends utilized for beef in this region include mace (muskatblute), black pepper, white pepper, chervil (kerbel), chives, tarragon (estragon), rosemary, mustard seed, thyme and allspice.
Tags: mustard seed, this region, black pepper, Lower Saxony, spice blends