Beer Brats
Published May 29, 2021
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
24 ounces lager or pilsner beer (2 cans or bottles)
2 medium onions, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
6 uncooked bratwurst sausages
6 bratwurst rolls or hoagie rolls, split
Spicy brown or yellow mustard, for serving
Pickles and ketchup, for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
16 grams carbs; 18 milligrams cholesterol; 215 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 334 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 2 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Light a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high.
- Step 2
In a medium pot over high heat, bring beer and half the onions to a simmer (save remaining onions for serving). Add bratwurst to the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until they are just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Transfer sausages to the grill, and grill until they’re well browned on all sides, 2 to 5 minutes, turning often.
- Step 4
If you like, while the brats are grilling, let the beer and onions boil over high heat until the onions are very soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve onions for serving.
- Step 5
Grill the rolls, cut-side down, until golden, about 1 minute. Serve the brats sandwiched in the rolls and topped with onions (either raw or beer-braised, or both), along with any condiments you like.
Private Notes
Comments
I love this recipe but I add 12 ounces of beer. I pour it in my belly. Usually I garnish the brats with another 12 ounces of beer. Also in my belly.
Correct method BUT add the best sauerkraut you can find, rinsed and drained, to cook down with the onions and beer. That's how you top a brat Southeastern Wisconsin style.
A Badger State native, I’ve prepared Brats in a variety of ways, and Ms. Clark gets it mostly correct, mimicking even Usinger’s the best Wis. maker of brats. I suggest inverting the sequence; grill until the casing splits, then simmer for a. Hour in beer with onions. The beer-infused brats are tasty, and the onions nicely complement the sauerkraut. Red cabbage makes an excellent side.
Ketchup?!
I tried the post grill beer tub method mentioned in 5/22/26 Morning. It’s great! Grill first just to brown then transfer to simmering beer tub: a can of lager, onion wedges, a chunk of butter. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. They were lovely for eating on a bun.
The way my Wisconsin relatives do it is to simmer the brats in beer, then grill. When you take the brats out of the beer, put the onions and kraut in the beer. If you put ketchup on a brat, you will be thrown into lake Michigan.