Beer Brats
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 24ounces lager or pilsner beer (2 cans or bottles)
- 2medium onions, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 6uncooked bratwurst sausages
- 6bratwurst rolls or hoagie rolls, split
- Spicy brown or yellow mustard, for serving
- Pickles and ketchup, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
215 calories; 7 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 335 milligrams sodium
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.
Powered byPreparation
- 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
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Cooking Notes
Choska
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.
Diane
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.
Jim Bailey
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.
William
Add one whole clove for each brat to the beer and onion mixture.
KristinCT
My grandpa, a proud Marquette County, WI native, boiled the brats in beer before grilling them over an open wood fire pit, then finally nested them in soft buns with mustard. He tended to his brats like one would care for an infant and made them well into his late 80s. He's been gone for several years now and I'd do anything to have just one more of Grandpa's brats!
mike in chicago
Never Ketchup
Mr. Milwaukee
Grew up eating brats made as in this recipe. Currently make them by starting a brat tub with onion, half stick butter, can of American lager like Pabst or High Life; bring this to a simmer. Grill fresh brats on med high to high until just browned thoroughly. Drop in brat tub for 20 to 30m. Serve with mustard, proper fermented kraut. I’m down with ketchup but only use it to lube dry buns or dry brats. Support your local butchers with this one.
Paula
As a native cheesehead, I can vouch for the beer bath, then grill method. Never, ever ketchup, and get a good German mustard, preferably from your last trip to Germany - Lowensenf - if you can find it, mild or extra hot, your choice. Yes on the braised in beer onions too.
John Schmelig
Had one today with a squirt of ketchup and mustard and didn’t die.
Brian T.
Another Wisconsinite here and we steam our locally made brats in beer and onions in a large pan on the grill's side burner, then throw them onto the grill until they have nice grill marks on all sides, and then put them back into the pan to keep them warm -- served with homemade carraway sauerkraut and a strong beer mustard or horseradish mustard. And our markets carry brat buns which are slightly larger than hot dog buns. A locally made pork and veal brat consistently wins top awards.
Brandon
Never boil brats before placing on the grill. Just my opinion.
Bob
American "Brats" are not the same as European Bratwurst even if they are made by Usinger's. They're pork sausages not veal. Johnsonville makes a "Beef Brat" as do some others, but it's still far different from a European Bratwurst .
JF Edwards
Caraway seeds, paprika, dash of brown sugar to the beer onion stewing liquid. Always rinse the 'kraut with water.
Jan
Finally I have been given guidance on cooking sausages on the grill. Thanks. And I now have a use for all the leftover beer when my relatives leave town and I am stuck with beaucoup cans of beer until their next visit, by which time they are stale. But, as a former Chicagoan, NO KETCHUP (unless you have a 12-year-old or younger). Worked out real well though. Although I will probably continue to toast my buns in the oven.
jill
For the tastiest brats we put butter and bay leaf in a pan and sauté the onions in that until they are soft, Sprinkle onions with a little salt and some Accent while cooking. Deglaze the pan with a bit of beer as needed. (We use one onion for every 3 brats.). Add the rest of the beer snd bring to a boil. Finish per the recipe. We save the beer bath to make beer cheese dip.
Georgia Brat
My Wisconsin Mother always used Usinger's for brats and summer sausage. Buttered bun with possibly some mustard but never ketchup. I like to cut them into coins charred on the griddle for an appetizer plate. They disappear!
Liz
If you are in Berlin, go to Konopke's Imbiss for a currywurst and get rot-weiss with the french fries. (Bratwurst with curry ketchup and fries with ketchup and mayo).
Ken
I'm not a native but have lived in the Badger state for over 40 years and love it, brats and beer. My experience with brats cooked in beer is that they become dry in the process. I prefer mine hot off the grill, juicy and the beer on the side like another reviewer.
Kay
As a former Wisconsinite, I have enjoyed 'beer brats' for over 50 years. I add a couple of cloves to the beer in addition to the onions. It is important to not overcook them in the barely simmering beer bath. If one is tempted to skip the pre-grilling simmer, they end up either nearly black or nearly raw. The author forgot to add that a critical condiment is the best sauerkraut you can find. - It's not a brat without it.
Terry Amerson
Glad to see so many badgers weighing in on this special, traditional Wisconsin meal. My preferred brat: Johnsonville. The beer has be Spotted Cow if grilling in Wisconsin, but use any good local lager if elsewhere. First caramelize the onions before adding the beer, then add brats for quick browning. After grilling is complete, simmer the brats in the sweet cauldron of beer and onions and when ready, serve with a ladle to moisten the bun. Mustard is not necessary, but a Claussen Pickle spear is!
AnneC
If you live in Washington DC, you can get excellent, fresh, European-style veal bratwurst and more mustard varieties than you can shake a stick at!
AnneC
If you live in Washington DC, you can get excellent, fresh, European-style veal bratwurst and more mustard varieties than you can shake a stick at at Rodman's Drug (not really a drug store!!)!
Susan
I grew up in Sheboygan, and my dad always simmered the brats in a mix of beer, half a stick of butter, and a small onion (cut in half) before grilling over charcoal. My mom got wonderful hard rolls from one of the local bakeries, some bratwurst size and some burger size (for a double brat). Rolls were toasted on the grill and buttered. Makes my mouth water to think about it.
Badgergrrrl
Badger girl here. Our family likes to marinate the brats for a few hours to even overnight in pbr, onion. Gently simmer, never boil your brats as you don't want them to split. Sometimes we grill the onions that have been in the marinade. We typically love chopped onion, really good sauerkraut, good german mustard, never ketchup, good buns. In New England, it's impossible to find good brat buns, so we bake our own freezing a batch for when we need them. Homemade baked beans as a side. Yum.
Cindy
Made as directed but added bell peppers to beer and onions. Let them simmer while I mixed up Corn Ribs (Melissa Knific recipe.) It was just 2 of us so I halved the corn recipe. Served the Brats with no buns but the mustard, horseradish, onions, et al and YUM! A relatively easy night of fun and food food.
Jeff
Wisconsin here also; Guinness also works surprisingly well here, for what I mention later. I always briefly saute the onions with a bunch of garlic, onion powder, a pinch of sweet basil and a splash of Worcestershire. It adds a great amount of flavor. Make beer cheese with the onion\beer mixture after removing the brats! Boil the mixture for a bit. Then just add flour, Milk, thicken, then add cheese of choice. Thank me later!
Roman
As a Chef at the university of Wisconsin, Brat is grilled first, then beer bath. Onions are sautéed till almost caramelized and added to beer bath. The beer bath should only come up to a simmer at most never boiled. We use Old Style, although Chicagoans call it there home town beer, here at the UW we have been using it for over 20 years. Bob Uecker likes Usinger's, Klements is also a good brand.
Jennifer
Another Wisconsinite here. We didn’t have a problem with ketchup, and we often eat the sauerkraut on the brat. But brats are hardly gourmet, or meant to be fussed over.
McCarty
Wisconsin native here, recipe nails it but add chopped jalapeño with the beer and onions then drain and reserve for serving.
Val
I have eaten my weight in brats, but never prepared like this. Easy and so delicious. Brat party in the works. With Wisconsin beer, of course.
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