Photo Credits: Jack Hennessy
Tailgating season is upon us, and everyone who has ever fired up a grill ahead of a ballgame understands one universal truth: Bratwursts are a prerequisite.
But what’s the secret to wowing barbecue bystanders, mesmerizing their taste buds so their brain no longer even cares about the upcoming game? Simple. Incorporate some Bearded Butcher Blend Seasonings and crack some beers. Let’s break it down some more below.
Amazing-tasting bratwurst started with The Bearded Butchers and some quality beer. If you can find it, Warbeard is the soulmate to every Bearded Butcher brat.
Wild Versus Pork Brats
For those who simply wish to grill and chill, you can pick up a twelve-pack of our second-to-none, prepaid pork bratwurst here. For you hunters and DIYers out there, we offer a DIY kit that comes with everything you need to turn your wild beasts into barbecue feasts. Just grind and add the meat yourself.
For venison, because we wish to remain faithful to its wild, how-Mother-Nature-intended flavor, we keep the meat ratio at 90% venison and 10% pork back fat.
For every DIY kit you purchase, you’ll find a QR code on the bag that will take you to our recipe page.
To Smoke or not to Smoke
This is a matter of preference, but if you’re choosing to smoke, our STOAKED pellets work great, as do applewood chunks or pellets. Smoke adheres well to wet meat, which is why we start this entire process, if smoking, with an initial simmer in beer. The beer will build the initial flavor and also help smoke particles stick to the casings of our bratwurst.
Temperature-wise, you ideally want to keep the smoke between 175 and 200°F. Doing so will allow smoke flavors to mix with the meat without overcooking or drying out the bratwurst.
A quality smoke takes the taste of bratwurst to the next level.
Why simmer in Beer?
The technical term is "parboil," which means to partially cook food by boiling. In this instance, we aren’t exactly boiling our bratwurst in beer, as we aim to maintain a steady 200°F simmer (the boiling point is 212°F).
A low and slow soak-and-simmer in beer does a few things. Firstly, it helps ensure an even cook when it’s time to sear the bratwurst over higher heat. Because most bratwurst contain at least a small percentage of pork, it’s essential to cook each bratwurst to an internal temperature of 160°F. Trying to do so over a fire alone can result in an undercooked brat or a busted casing—where the meat is fully cooked, but the casing bursts outward, no longer holding the bratwurst in the shape of a delicious link.
While simmering in beer, the bratwurst links absorb some of the beer's flavor, but they also remain moist. So, even when cooking up tasty yet lean venison bratwurst, each bite will deliver juicy flavor.
The extended simmer in beer also makes the casings a bit more pliable, adding some "anti-busted-casing" insurance when it’s time to place the links over high heat for that perfect caramelized sear.
A low-and-slow beer simmer ahead of searing your bratwurst helps prevent casings from busting.
Is an Open Fire or Skillet Best for Cooking Bratwurst?
This can be a matter of personal preference, but an argument can be made that, for the same reason you don’t grill bacon over an open fire, you shouldn’t grill bratwurst over an open fire. The reason being: Rendered pork fat infuses the meat with flavor. While a properly made bratwurst will never render the same amount of grease and fat found when cooking bacon in a skillet, there are still juices that seep out, which can amplify the flavor when kept during the cooking process.
So, while an open fire may add that flame-grilled taste, the delectable pork drippings are lost forever to the fire below. The decision remains yours regarding how you wish to finish your bratwurst.
How to Doctor up Sauerkraut
If you have a great homemade sauerkraut recipe, by all means, stick with that. But homemade sauerkraut typically takes 7–10 days to make, and some days we just spontaneously wish to grill some brats. To "doctor up" store-bought sauerkraut, we add just a few simple ingredients to boost the flavor and make it taste more like homemade.
Including hard apple cider does two things: It adds a sweet flavor to the sauerkraut—and sweet always pairs nicely with pork. Also, after grilling the brats in the same skillet as the sauerkraut, the hard cider helps collect the brown bits in the pan through a process called "deglazing." The hard apple cider (or any alcohol) turns these brown bits into a bit of a paste, mixing the residual crispy brat flavor with the sauerkraut for something truly special.
A few simple additions and steps can make a huge difference when preparing store-bought sauerkraut.
Directions for Unforgettable Bratwurst:
Ingredients:
- Four Bearded Butcher Venison Tailgater or Pork Bratwurst
- Two 12-ounce cans of Walnut River Warbeard or similar dark ale
- 16 ounces sauerkraut
- Four large cloves fresh garlic, smashed
- 2 to 4 ounces pickled jalapeños
- One 12-ounce bottle or can of Strongbow Hard Cider
- 1 Cup Stoneground Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
Instructions:
- Place the bratwurst in a skillet and cover with red ale. Simmer, covered, or smoke at 200°F for 20 minutes. Turn the brats as necessary in the beer for an even simmer.
- If smoking, remove the brats from the skillet while keeping the beer in the skillet. Smoke the brats at 200°F for 20 minutes. If not smoking, continue to simmer the brats in the beer for another 20 minutes at 200°F. Turn the brats as necessary in the beer for an even simmer.
- If smoking, after 20 minutes, return the brats to the beer for another final session of simmering. Simmer for another 20 minutes. To summarize: If not smoking, the total simmer time in beer is 1 hour at 200°F. If smoking, the phases are 20 minutes in beer, 20 minutes smoking, and 20 more minutes in beer.
- During the third and final 20-minute beer phase, add sauerkraut, fresh garlic, pickled jalapeños, and 6 ounces of hard cider to a large skillet. After the final brats-in-beer phase, crank up the heat under the sauerkraut skillet and stir often.
- Once most of the sauerkraut liquid has steamed off, move the sauerkraut mixture to the edges and place the brats in the center of the skillet to sear. Turn as needed for an even sear.
- When all sides of the brats are seared, remove them from the skillet and place them on a plate. Cover and set aside.
- Deglaze the sauerkraut skillet with the remaining 6 ounces of hard cider. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- To sweeten the stoneground mustard, simply add honey and mix thoroughly.
- To serve, place the brat on a bun, followed by sauerkraut and sweet stoneground mustard.
