Wisconsin Beer Brats

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

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

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 423kcal

Author Meggan Hill

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)

US Customary - Metric

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

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.
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.
Sauerkraut: If you have the time, you can make your own sauerkraut in 5 days with just cabbage, salt, and juniper berries.
Yield: This Wisconsin Beer Brat recipe makes 10 brats. Feel free to halve the recipe if you're serving a smaller crew.
Storage: Refrigerate any extra brats in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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