Brats and Sauerkraut on the grill braised in beer with a hint of apple, onions, and lots of savory spices is a great all year round dinner. Delicious comfort food on hoagie roll dressed with some simple mustard!
Everything is coming up bratwurst?
Bratwurst has been around since at least the 1300's coming to us from Eastern Germany. They would make a big batch then eat them for breakfast or lunch. The word brat means "fry", and wurst means "sausage". The can be made from veal or pork plus loads and loads of fat. These are considered fast food from their home country and are often sold off food carts.
In Wisconsin, the brats are braised in beer then finished on the grill. Brats were introduced to the world of baseball in 1953 at the Milwaukee County Stadium. Eventually this fan favorite made the leap to the football stadium where Ohio state fans still enjoy this treat on game day.
Ingredients
The ingredients are what makes this special, be sure not to take any shortcuts with them.
- Brats - I used two packs of beer brats for this recipe. We had plenty of leftovers for lunch, and this is one of those dishes that's even better the next day.
- Beer - a can of your favorite beer. If you don't have a favorite then I suggest using Fosters, Budweiser, or St. Paulie's Girl beer.
- Sauerkraut - one large bag. I suggest the refrigerated kind as canned or jarred will break down to much during cooking.
- Apple - one fresh green apple.
- Potato - one really small waxy potato.
- Onion - small, and sliced.
- Garlic - minced
- Seasonings - brown sugar, thyme, dill week, caraway seed, and a bay leaf.
Cooking Instructions
Preheat your grill to about 350-degrees. Sear the brats on the grill until they have good grill marks. Be careful not to pierce the casings!
Place a 9 x 13 aluminum pan on direct heat over two burners. Add some oil, and the sliced onion to the pan. Saute until softened and lightly browned. Add in the remaining ingredients, and stir. Nestle the seared brats in the mixture. When the mixture comes to a simmer, turn down the heat, and cover with foil. Cook for 45 minutes on indirect heat. While you wait be sure to eat up some Smoked Jalapeno Poppers!
Can I make this on the stove or in the oven?
You can follow the instructions above except brown in the pan then add the other ingredients. You can either simmer on the stove or bake covered in an oven at 375-degrees for 45 minutes.
Tips for serving
This can be served on hoagie rolls dressed with your favorite mustard. You can also serve this up with German potato salad or cubed potatoes. Leftover are easily stored in an airtight container then reheated in the microwave. Leftover sauerkraut can also be used as a topping for hot dogs.
Recipe
Grilled Brats and Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 10 brats
- 2 lb bag of sauerkraut drained of juice
- 1 granny smith apple shredded
- 1 red potato small, and shredded
- 1 can beer
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 tablespoon dill weed
- 2 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350-degrees. Sear brats on grill on both sides. Move to top shelf.
- Leave two burners on, and place aluminum pan on direct heat. Add onions, and saute until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the aluminum pan. Leave on direct heat until contents come to a simmer.
- Move to indirect heat and cover with foil. Cook for 45 minutes.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Leave a Reply