Beer Brats

Intro: Beer Brats

Simple step by step... how to cook beer brats!

Keep in mind that there are many ways to cook beer brats.
This is my slow cooking method, and if you ask me, no other method makes them this tasty and tender. This whole process can take a whole day to prepare... so set a day aside, and get yourself a case of beer... Half for the Brats, and half for you!

Also, Never buy the beer Brats pre-made from the store, as they are not anywhere close to what a beer brat should taste like.

STEP 1: Ingredients You'll Need

Considering that these take a long time to make, I like to make large batches of them. I used:

4 Packs of regular Brats (no cheese brats... they would not make it!)
4-6 Small - Medium Onions. I used Red and Yellow Onions
3-5 Cloves of Garlic.
1 Case of beer... does not need to be anything exotic.
1 day to babysit the beer brats while they cook.

STEP 2: Poke the Brats.

Grab a fork, and poke some holes in the Brats... about 3-4 jabs aught to do good, but be careful, the brats need to be handled with care, as the slightest extra tear in the brat casing can make it rip apart.

STEP 3: Add the Beer!

Make sure you get one for yourself, this is going to take a while.

Start off by putting a few cans of beer into a large stock pot... or similar cookware.
Start the stove up, and get that beer bubbling, but careful! Beer will bubble over very easily! So not too hot... that's the key to this whole thing... Not too hot! Just hot enough to see some bubbling.

STEP 4: Add Brats!

Lay these out the best you can... you'll want them laying as flat as possible.

STEP 5: Add Onions and Garlic!

Chop up the onions... they don't need to be cut up too small... they'll be in there for a while!
Same for the Cloves of Garlic I used Some Red onion, and White onion.

STEP 6: Top It Off!

Add more beer until the entire thing is covered. This took me about 8-9 beer.

STEP 7: Simmer!

Let it cook uncovered for anywhere from 2-8 hours. You want it to simmer, and cook out all the water and alcohol, until the beer, onion and garlic become a brown sauce.

Be attentive to these things... when cooking so many it's easy to burn the ones on the bottom, but it's not easy to stir them around either.

STEP 8: The Brats Are Ready!

By this time, your brats should look something like the picture.

I usually pack a few away in the fridge. If you do this, it gives you a chance to scoop up the hardened brat grease that will rise to the top and harden.

From here... All you need to do is to Grill it for a minute or so, to sear the outside of the brat. I used a George Forman Grill. While Grilling, pour some of the Beer/Onion sauce onto the brat.
Handle the Brats carefully! They break real easy!

Enjoy!

Comments

[ruudcreates]

Thank you for this recipe. Some friends and myself really enjoyed them. Added some Dutch curryketchup just before the cooking was finished.

[Building Books]

so a "brat" is a sausage? Looks like a tasty (but expensive) meal. wouldn't mind trying it

[dork5200]

Just get some cheap beer... nothing fancy. Otherwise the Brats are the most expensive part. You can make a smaller batch... but when it takes as long as it does, it's nice to have reap the rewards over and over again! When I say Brat... I mean Bratwurst... You'll find it near the sausages in the store.

[gcleopardgirl]

Do you think you could freeze them after cooking but prior to grilling?
I am wondering if I can cook up a bunch, freeze them, then when we want to grill them just thaw them out and cook them on the grill long enough to warm them up.

[dork5200]

 Be sure to get cheap beer! make a lot, so you can make the most of it. Leftovers work really well too.. just toss em on the George Forman Grill! Presto!

[Lunchbox515]

Have you tried any other beers? Does it make a difference? I'm not a big fan of light colored beers. Do you think I can use a darker, more flavorful beer like Shiner Bock or Sam Adams without overloading the flavor?

[Batness]

Just tried this 'Ible...and I have to say the flavor is great. Thanks for posting this!

HOWEVER I personally must not be used to eating this heavy because I ate ONE brat and felt SO FULL it was crazy. XP And believe me, I can eat.

I'm mildly allergic to onions, so I reduced the onion and upped the garlic. I also prefer turkey brats, so those were used.

Punctured the brats (gently), left them in a crock put with the beer/onion/garlic mixture. I had a shot of habanero rum left over from another project, so I tossed that in as well. Left on low/warm setting for 5-6 hours.

DELICIOUS, albeit very heavy. Will try again sometime FOR people who eat more meat than I do. Literally. :D

[dtrain]

Yep, just like I make em. You can now buy beer brats but their not nearly as flavorful as these. Alternatively you can do the whole thing on the grill. Get one of those disposable deep aluminum pans and boil them on the grill. When they're done, simply char them directly on the grill. Yummy.

[dork5200]

 You must be a grill master to do that... too hot, and it dont work right! But really, to me they are not the same if they are cooked less than 4 hours... around there, they become infused with magic. I'm no wizzard, but these are magical for sure.

[Thornburg]

Oh, wow, at first I thought this was about Bratz, those weird toys.

[dork5200]

 Yea... those are not as tastey.

[Steve from AZ]

This is the best beer brat recipe on the Internet. Slow cooking them rules! Thanks!

[dork5200]

 Glad to share the joy!

[bleepblorp]

Would I be able to do this in a crock pit? I know that seems like a dumb question, but I'd rather not ruin some tasty, tasty brats by preparing them wrong haha

[dork5200]

 Let me know how the crock pot ones work!! could probably go all night! ooooo! tastey!

[Lunarpancake]

Just made these for a BBQ......they are AWESOME!!!!

[dork5200]

 Glad to hear!!! makes me happy! I made a 2 hour version of them... not quite as good... but I'm looking for ways to shorten the prep time.

[sdcauld]

Sheboygan technique. Those brats can get dehydrated on the grill. When I take them off the grill I toss them back in the warm beer have a beer myself and in 5 to 10 minutes they are perfect!

[dork5200]

 Actually, It's my own recipe! Everyone tells me I'm doing it "wrong"! These do not get dehydrated on the grill... because they only grill for a minute, or less. They are already cooked when they get to the grill. They certainly would dehydrate if you grill them like a normal brat... but the final grilling stage is just to sear the beer gravy onto the brat, not really to cook it. I've skipped the grilling step altogether, and they are just as good!

[ulor]

For a non-alcoholic alternative try Apple Juice. Slightly different flavor, but still tasty.