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A plate of beer brats with ketchup, mustard, onions, and sauerkraut.
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Wisconsin Beer Brats

It's not summer or tailgate season without beer brats. If you like the flavor of caramelized onions, then you'll love this easy 4-ingredient grilled brat recipe.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 423kcal

Ingredients

  • 10 bratwurst (raw, see note 1)
  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 4 (12 ounce) cans beer (see note 2)
  • 10 brat buns split, for serving
  • Ketchup and mustard, for serving
  • sauerkraut for serving (see note 3)

Instructions

  • Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Clean and oil grate. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add brats, onion, and beer. 
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until brats are cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove brats to a bowl or platter. Continue cooking onions in beer while grilling the brats (use as a topping if desired).
  • Increase heat to medium and cook brats, turning frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve in buns with your favorite toppings.

Video

Notes

  1. Bratwurst: Always start with raw than pre-cooked sausages. There is nothing wrong with a pack of Johnsonville brats! If you aren't a Wisconsin local but want to pretend you are, you can shop online with Glenn's Market or Usinger's.
  2. Beer: Pilsners and lagers are traditional, but IPAs, porters, and stouts all work wonderfully. If you cannot bear to pour that much beer into a pot for cooking bratwurst, substitute half the beer for water.
  3. Sauerkraut: If you have the time, you can make your own sauerkraut in 5 days with just cabbage, salt, and juniper berries.
  4. Yield: This Wisconsin Beer Brat recipe makes 10 brats. Feel free to halve the recipe if you're serving a smaller crew.
  5. Storage: Refrigerate any extra brats in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  6. Make ahead: Beer brats are best straight off the grill, but for gatherings with staggered mealtimes, I recommend preparing Wisconsin Beer Brats in a slow cooker so you can keep them warm until you're ready to serve. You'll want to flip-flop the method: Place them in the slow cooker with the onion and beer. Cook for 4 hours on HIGH, or 7 to 8 hours on LOW. Then grill as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brat on a bun | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 914mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 3mg