Bratwurst

[gabe]

I've never cooked bratwurst at home. I got a package of Usinger's cooked brats at the local Trader Joe's, though, and I was wondering how best to prepare them. Unfortunately, I don't have access to a grill. I understand that fresh brats are often simmered and then grilled or panfried, but I hesitate to do this with the precooked brats in fear of overcooking them. Any suggestions would be welcome. I plan to make some German potato salad and serve with Oktoberfest beer.

[tryska]

we just had brats the other night - we simmered them in beer first and then stuck them under the broiler - i suppose witht he pre-cooked ones you can put them under the broiler too. i do that with hot polishes that are pre-cooked as well.

[sammy]

Tryska's method works great but I prefer the opposite order of things. It was actually suggested to me by one of Usinger's sales people in their shop in Milwaukee. I like to lightly pan fry the brats first, to get a little color on them. Be careful not to cook on too high a heat or too long or they'll split. I then add some beer and onions right to the pan and have them simmer for about 10-minutes. Make sure to use a good beer (not bud, miller, etc). I've used anchor steam, bass, guinness, etc. and all were delicious. Don't underestimate the beer's impact on the taste of the onions. Another benefit to this method is that in case the brats do split and lose some of their juices, it just adds flavor to the onion and beer mixture.

Usinger's also sells a great mustard, Kallas Honey Mustard, that is just perfect for a Brat and Onion sandwich.

[slkinsey]

gabe, I don't know where you are located but there is a huge difference between precooked brats and raw brats. The precooked ones just aren't all that good. Get them raw if at all possible.

Since you have Usinger's brats, you have Wisconsin brats... this is to say, they are German-American sausages as opposed to German sausages. The way to eat them is to steep them in not-quite-simmering beer for a while, finish them on the grill, put them in large hot dog buns (or two at a time in Kaiser rolls), add mustard, onions and maybe a little kraut and enjoy. Since your brats are already cooked, there is really no point in simmering them in beer. You might as well go straight to the stove or a broiler.

[sammy]

Ditto what Sam said. The fresh ones are far superior.

Even with the fresh ones, I still prefer grilling or pan frying first, then simmering with beer and onions.

And I just remember another benefit. You can cook more than you think you're going to eat and let them sit covered in the beer and onions. Still warm enough to eat an hour or so later.

Either way you cook them, you can't go wrong.

[gabe]

Consider me suitably admonished for not getting fresh bratwurst.

I'm in Philadelphia, by the way -- haven't noticed a lot of fresh brats around, but then again, maybe I haven't been looking.

[Fat Guy]

What's the reasoning behind simmering after grilling? Presumably one grills in order to create a crisp, snappy exterior. Is that not diminished by simmering? Wouldn't it be more logical to simmer and then grill to finish?

[slkinsey]

Yea... I've always simmered, then grilled. Well, really I sort of steep eather than simmer. Simmering, IMO, renders out too much of the fat and the brats aren't as juicy as they could be. I find that they still get a nice beery flavor (we always used Blatz) from soaking in very warm beer for an hour or so.

Back in my college days in good old Appleton, Wisconsin my fraternity used to have huge brat dinners every so often with yours truly as grillmeister. We always had a lot of fun dipping a coffee can into the huge layer of fat floating on the used simmering liquid and throwing the fat on the hot coals. Nothing like a 30 foot tall column of flame to warm up a cold Wisconsin night. Of course, nine times out of ten I'd end up burning off most of my arm hair in the process... which just goes to show why it's dangerous to grill all hopped-up on cheap local beer.

[sammy]

Consider me suitably admonished for not getting fresh bratwurst.

I'm in Philadelphia, by the way -- haven't noticed a lot of fresh brats around, but then again, maybe I haven't been looking.

Order 5lbs of fresh Brats today from Usingers and you can redeem yourself!

[sammy]

What's the reasoning behind simmering after grilling? Presumably one grills in order to create a crisp, snappy exterior. Is that not diminished by simmering? Wouldn't it be more logical to simmer and then grill to finish?

Don't know the reasoning behind it. I had always simmered then grilled. The nice lady behind the counter at Usingers asked me how I was going to cook them and suggested the opposite. All I know is I now prefer them that way, as do my friends.

Why don't you and Sam do a controlled double blind experiment and report back on the scientific aspect of cooking brats.

[Mister_Cutlets]

The simmering / grilling thing always struck me as an overcooked bratwurst waiting to happen. To paraphrase barry fitzgerald, when I boil wursts, I boil wursts, and when I grill them, I grill them. Not that there's anything wrong with the combo method...

For me, the best possible method of cooking brats is to smoke them. I used to give them three hours at 225 degrees and strong hickory smoker in my full-size smoker, but now that I live in New York, I have to settle for indirect heat in a weber grill and charcoals instead of hardwood. It's still great, though. The brats remain intensely juicy, and the smoke takes to that mild porky taste like peaches to cream. Smoking is equally great for weisswurst, bockwurst, and other mild / bland natural-casing sausages.

Mr. Cutlets

www.mr-cutlets.com

[Basilgirl]

ANY brat is a good brat.

[sammy]

For me, the best possible method of cooking brats is to smoke them.  I used to give them three hours at 225 degrees and strong hickory smoker in my full-size smoker, but now that I live in New York, I have to settle for indirect heat in a weber grill and charcoals instead of hardwood.

I'll have to try smoking them in my WSM. Thanks for the idea.

[MatthewB]

I'll have to try smoking them in my WSM. Thanks for the idea.

You won't be disappointed.

When smoking a larger piece of meat on my WSM, I nearly always throw a dozen or so fresh brats and/or sausages on toward the end. Great stuff.

[Holly Moore]

Cooked brats, as all have stated, are not as good as fresh. However cooked brats do not require the precooking (simmering in water or beer or seasoned water or beer). That's why they are called cooked brats.

Simply toss them on a grill or skillet and cook til heated through.

No problem getting fresh brats from Usingers through their website, Usinger's Web Site

I've learned to only go to that site after dinner, when I'm stuffed. Otherwise I blow a week's profits on sausages. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Jinmyo]

I prefer to roast to get a perfectly crisped skin.

[Nick]

Fresh brats smoked with mesquite can be habit-forming.

[woodburner]

Throw a ring of bologna on the smoker for about an hour, good stuff.

I do brats on the grill, and keep a small disposable pan filled with beer and onyons right on the fire.

Vascilate between the grill and steaming beer. Pull off, prior to splitting the casings.

Never and I mean never buy pre-cooked brats, obtain the fresh ones.

woodburner

[gabe]

Never and I mean never buy pre-cooked brats, obtain the fresh ones.

I'm afraid my palate must be hopelessly naive. I thought my precooked, broiled brats turned out pretty darn good.

[slkinsey]

Never and I mean never buy pre-cooked brats, obtain the fresh ones.

I'm afraid my palate must be hopelessly naive. I thought my precooked, broiled brats turned out pretty darn good.

I bet they did! But obtaining fresh brats next time will bring you one step closer to bratvana.

Ahh Grasshopper, when you can grab the brat from my hand, then you will be a master.

[schneich]

here comes a nice lil recipe from southern germany...

make a deep incision into the wurst´s from one end to the other..

throw em in water and cook until the cut is wide open. discard water

take off the peel and cut the wurst´s in small cubes.

now put the cubes into a bowl, pour some fine vinegar, fresh onionrings and coarse pepper

and voila.. you got yourself a nice bavarian wurstsalad ! +

t.

[jwagnerdsm]

Start with fresh brats. Put in a pan and cover with a dark beer. Add a splotch of grainy mustard, a chopped onion, a bay leaf, a little cumin and some peppercorn. Simmer in beer mixture until the brats are a gray color. then throw on the grill. Perfect.

[budrichard]

Since I live in Wisconsin and Usinger's is a 45 minute ride away and the car knows the way anyway, let me reinforce what others have correctly stated. I also grew up in Neenah Wisconsin which is 15 minutes away from Slkinsey's alma mater, Lawrence College.

Usinger pre-cooked brats are finely ground and more akin to knackwurst. They are excellent in thier own right and deserve to be lightly grilled and nothing else. Usinger regular brats are course ground and of course raw. The traditional method is too pre cook in beer, onions and butter. This allows some of the grease to be removed and avoids overcooking on the grill to assure the pork is fully cooked. Then all that is needed is a light grill just like the precooked. Either is fantastic and we always serve both type along with Usinger veal wieners which are a special order item. Enjoy! -Dick

[suzilightning]

What's the reasoning behind simmering after grilling? Presumably one grills in order to create a crisp, snappy exterior. Is that not diminished by simmering? Wouldn't it be more logical to simmer and then grill to finish?

Don't know the reasoning behind it. I had always simmered then grilled. The nice lady behind the counter at Usingers asked me how I was going to cook them and suggested the opposite. All I know is I now prefer them that way, as do my friends.

Why don't you and Sam do a controlled double blind experiment and report back on the scientific aspect of cooking brats.

and invite me PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE

johnnybird - for all his being 1/4 german has me skin his brats before he will eat them. i love him but...BARBARIAN

[Cusina]

Wow, a whole board of Bratophiles. I'm a cheesehead and love them. (I'm even a Lawrence grad too!)

My theory on the boiling in beer and onions is that is pre-cooks them for you so that when you put them on the grill you can use a higher heat and really give them a nice searing for crisp skin. And "fer gosh sakes", don't forget the kraut, mustard and some of those beery onions on top. Next time I'm going to try the cumin and peppercorns in my cauldron. Thanks for that tip.

Beware, however, that the boiling of fresh brats in beer and onions will make your entire domicile smell like hot beer and onions for quite a while. It's worth it though! Takes you right to Lambeau in spirit.