Fantastic Beer Brats Recipe

Picture this: It’s a beautiful Thursday in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. The year is 1953, and Mayor Edward C. Schmidt has declared that this day, no one is to grill their own bratwursts. Instead, the town is hosting the first bratwurst festival. You’re smelling literally thousands of bratwursts grilling all around you. Walking down the street, you see nothing but pure bratwurst bliss. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then this recipe is for you.

The Beer Brats Recipe

You might not be able to actually send yourself to Wisconsin, but you can at least enjoy this excellent grilled beer brat’s recipe. Get the recipe here. If you are new to grilling bratwursts, or grilling with beer, be careful to follow the directions closely, as things can get tricky. In fact, the brats can actually spit out hot liquid as they heat up, so stand back.

Ingredients

Make sure you have all these ingredients available before you start.

• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, plus more for the buns
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, or more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 bratwursts (5 to 6 ounces each), preferably Wisconsin-style, pricked with a fork in several places
• Two or three 12-ounce bottles beer, or more as needed
• 1 cup sauerkraut, undrained
• 8 hoagie rolls, mini-baguettes, top-split hot dog buns, or, natch, bratwurst buns
• Mustard, for serving

Directions

This recipe should take about 20 minutes of preparation and about 45 minutes total.

1. Fire up a charcoal or gas grill to high heat with the lid closed to help it get nice and hot.
2. Place a Dutch oven or another largish pot on a corner of the grill or on the stovetop over medium heat. Toss in the butter, garlic, and cayenne and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t brown. Add the brown sugar, caraway seeds, and 6 to 7 turns black pepper, then add the brats and enough beer so that everything is swimming. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add the sauerkraut and its liquid and let it cook for 10 minutes, or until the bratwursts are cooked through. (The brats will expand and the meat will be tight in its casing when they’re done.) Keep the bratwursts in the liquid until you’re ready to grill them.
4. Brush the cut sides of the buns with butter. (If you have time to melt the butter first, all the better.) Put the buns, cut side down, on the grill to toast until golden brown. Transfer the toasted buns to a roasting pan or disposable aluminum pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
5. Use tongs to lift the brats out of the liquid. Grill the brats, turning as necessary, until they have crusty bark on the outside, about 10 minutes. Serve the brats on the toasted buns with mustard and a heap of sauerkraut.

Roll Ideas to Make This Beer Brats Recipe Even Better

Try using Sourdough to add a real authentic German feel. A crusty baguette (brushed thoroughly with melted butter) is another option to replace the more common place hot dog bun. You want to make sure the buns are stout enough to stand up to the kraut, it they are too doughy it won’t work.

The first step is finding some great beer. Both for drinking and for grilling. The beer department at Julio’s Liquors in downtown Westborough, MA. In addition, Julio’s features an exciting Burn Center to spice up your next barbeque. Contact our friendly team of helpful and expert individuals.