Midwestern-Style Beer Boiled Brats
If you’ve spent any time at all in the Midwest, you know that summer grilling is all about bratwurst, a German pork sausage that’s best enjoyed with plenty of mustard and sauerkraut. Even better are beer-boiled brats, which are simmered in a couple chilly ones before hitting the coals.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating a brat, think of this recipe as an introduction to the concept: It’s easy to execute and can be done on the stovetop if you don’t have a grill. The only non-negotiables are mustard, ’kraut and absolutely no ketchup.
10 Types of Sausage All Home Cooks Should Know, from Fresh to Cured
304 calories
25g fat
7g carbs
12g protein
2g sugars
2 large yellow onions, julienned
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Three 12-ounce bottles Miller High Life (or another lager)
Freshly ground blacker pepper
6 fresh bratwursts
Toasted hot dog buns, spicy brown mustard, pickles and sauerkraut, optional, for serving
1. Prepare a grill with zones for direct low heat and indirect heat (i.e., one section of the grill should have the burners off or have no lit coals).
2. In a large, heat-proof, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven, combine the onions, garlic powder, salt and beer. Season generously with black pepper. Transfer the skillet to the grill and bring to a boil over indirect heat. Nestle the bratwursts into the beer mixture; close the lid and cook until the bratwursts reach an internal temperature of 145°F, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Using tongs, remove the bratwursts from the liquid and transfer to the hot side of the grill. Cook until the sausages are charred and reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Remove the beer-onion mixture from the grill.
4. Serve the bratwursts in toasted buns topped with the onions, spicy brown mustard, pickles and sauerkraut, if desired.
