Rules on bringing home made food from the U.S.

That's not going to work, at all. The mere scent of an apple that my husband insisted on bringing as a snack, but had eaten about 3 hrs before landing, was enough to set the beagle off. We had to have our bags completely searched by customs.

The airline can't help you, you have to try customs. Here is the German Customs webpage, in English. Take a look and see if the answer is there. If not, send them an email. It will depend on the ingredients of this mysterious raw dish.

Foodstuff
is for consumption. In the Law on Foodstuff and Necessaries food is defined as "stuff intended to be consumed by man in unchanged, prepared or worked condition".
There is a distinction between

* foodstuff of animal origin
e.g. meat, milk, eggs, honey and
* foodstuff of plant origin
e.g. potatoes, mushrooms, wine and vine leaves.

Well it was helpful to someone when I gave the advice 4 years ago.

I have never seen beagles at German airports. You mean bagles? I only saw beagles at American airports.

I flew with frozen Hallibut and Samphire wrapped in freezer cloth from Edinburgh to Munich recently - it was for a dinner party.

If meat, milk and products manufactured from them (such as cheese or sausage, including canned goods) are imported privately, these products must meet the same veterinary requirements as commercially imported consignments. This means that travellers who are carrying such goods are only allowed to enter Germany at certain entry points where a veterinary inspector is on hand. In addition, the products must be accompanied by official health certificates from the country of origin.
...
Foodstuffs that contain milk or cream in small quantities (e.g. cream toffees, chocolate or biscuits) are not affected by the new regulations.
...
It is very important to bear in mind that all goods that are subject to prohibitions and restrictions must always be declared at the frontier customs office when imported into the EC (and always when exported). The submission of a proper customs declaration is even necessary if the value is within the tax- and duty-free allowances.

Bringing home made food by plane from the U.S. -- Junk
21.Jul.2008 The beagles are going to love you!

Sorry, I forgot. The new people around here aren't equipped to give advice.

Ah yep, it was them bloody beagles at SFO that caused me to throw away 2 packets of sausage rolls, well and the fact that there were signs everywhere saying no meat products, I was tempted to ignore them but when I saw the dogs waiting decided it was a bad idea, terribly distressing it was.

I've gone hunting and fishing in the UK and have returned to Germany the same day with (dressed) game in checked luggage. I'm under the impression it's no different than doing so on the Eurostar ... or everyone would have to surrender his Wurst at the border.

I'd never consider taking my chances with those adorable beagles (with the cute little uniform jackets) any more than trying to bring in cuban cigars ... just not worth the hassle. Since the medfly, they're even tougher than the UK is on mad cow and/or rabies pet quarantine.

P.S. German friends in the US have a mother-in-law who's sucessfully shipped in a massive vacuum-packed Wurst disguised in an Advent wreath for years without incident!

The new people who actually give advice and don't just say what they think might happen based on an experience where they didn't contact customs, are equipped.

Leave your chips in the bag, not on your shoulder. My example was to show that Customs and have been helpful and useful in the past to someone who contacted them.

i think the worst that would happen is they might throw the food away.