Grilled Beer Bratwurst

Everyone has their own secret recipe for perfect sausages. Being not from Wisconsin, I can’t tell you if this recipe is perfect or not. What I can tell you is that this recipe has produced some very delicious sausages. I’ve heard people say that the secret to great sausages is to simmer them in beer first (seriously? Are you kidding me?), Or simmer them, or make sure the fire is at the right temperature.

In my experience, the secret is simply patience. The roasting time for the sausages depends on how you cook them. You can toss them straight on the grill, which will take 25-30 minutes, or boil the brats in beer, wine, or water for about 20 minutes. After boiling, it is grilled for 4-6 minutes. Boiling them first (also called par-poaching) in beer first improves the flavor so dramatically that it’s almost a sin to toss them straight on the grill. Regardless, brats take a while to cook well. If you rush, you could easily end up with a sausage that burns on the outside and not so overcooked on the inside.

If not handled properly, the long cooking time often bursts the brat’s thin skin letting out all the glorious juices, causing a dry brat.

Bratwurst tradition

Due to the large German population, Wisconsin is known for its beer and sausages. The Germans brought their recipes for bratwurst sausages when they settled throughout the area in the 19th century. Sausages are traditionally made with pork, although there are sausages that are all beef or other meats. Selecting which brand of brat to cook is a personal choice. Johnsonville is a popular national brand and is as good as any, unless you live in Wisconsin where you can find many delicious alternatives.

Although gas grills are fine to use, hot dogs taste best when grilled over charcoal or wood. I’ve seen some skillet-fried hot dogs, but this reduces the flavor to nothing more than a large breakfast hot dog. Here’s how to grill perfect sausages

What to grill

6 brats

6 good quality rolls (Semmel rolls if you can find them)

1 whole onion

1 large green bell pepper

12 ounces of beer

1 cup of water

2 butter spoons

1 tablespoon of salt

How to grill it

If you have a gas grill, the grill is perfect for this.

Cut the onion in half and slice. Cut the green bell pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips. In a 2-quart saucepan, sauté the sliced ​​onion and green bell pepper in 2 tablespoons of butter for three to four minutes.

Remove half of the sauteed onions and green bell peppers and place in a foil covered container to keep warm. (You can use them on brats later) Leave the remaining onion and bell peppers in the pan.

Then add 1 bottle or can of beer and 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Never boil the sausages, it will break the skin. A slow boil is when steam comes out of the water and no bubbles come to the surface.

You can use any type of beer, but full-flavored Mexican beers like Corona or Tecate work very well. Light beer is not recommended.

Simmer the brats over low heat for 20 minutes and remove. (Discard liquid and peppers.) Bring your brats to a simmer right on the grill. Be careful not to break the skin. Roast over low heat. the key here is low and slow. Brats can be cooked directly over the fire or indirectly, where the fire is on one side of the grill and the food is grilled on the off side. This allows the sausages to cook with little risk of being burned by the sprouts.

Grill the sausages for 4-6 minutes total, turning frequently until golden brown. Now they are ready to serve.

Use only pliers to turn. Using a fork or anything else that can poke holes in your brats will let out all the good juices and result in a dry brat. The sprouts from the dripping grease will cause the exterior to burn too.

Condiments:

Serve on good quality freshly baked buns (not hot dog buns) and top with sautéed onion and pepper mixture, or brown mustard or deli style, or all of the above. If you like sauerkraut on your brats, use the fresh sauerkraut from the refrigerated section of the supermarket. I like to use the Bavarian style with caraway seeds. Heat it in a pan with a little ground black pepper.

Bratwurst and Beer with sauerkraut is one of my favorite grilled foods. It is fun to cook and very delicious.