Soaking brats in beer is a popular method of preparing them for grilling or pan-frying. The beer adds flavor to the brats and helps to keep them moist. The optimal soaking time for brats in beer is between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
Benefits of Soaking Brats in Beer
- Enhances flavor: The beer penetrates the brats and imparts its flavor, resulting in a more flavorful and complex taste.
- Keeps brats moist: The beer helps to keep the brats moist during cooking, preventing them from drying out and becoming tough.
- Tenderizes the meat: The enzymes in the beer help to break down the proteins in the meat, making the brats more tender.
How to Soak Brats in Beer
- Choose a beer: Select a beer that you enjoy drinking, as the flavor of the beer will be imparted to the brats. Lighter beers, such as pilsners or lagers, are commonly used.
- Prepare the brats: Remove the brats from their packaging and rinse them under cold water. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- Combine the beer and brats: Place the brats in a large bowl or container. Pour enough beer over the brats to cover them completely.
- Add seasonings: You can add additional seasonings to the beer, such as mustard, garlic powder, or onion powder.
- Refrigerate: Cover the bowl or container and refrigerate the brats in the beer for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 2 hours.
Cooking the Brats
After the brats have soaked in the beer, they can be cooked using your preferred method. Grilling or pan-frying are popular options.
- Grilling: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill the brats for 10-15 minutes, or until they are cooked through and slightly charred.
- Pan-frying: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brats to the skillet and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until they are cooked through and browned.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the brats with your favorite toppings, such as sauerkraut, mustard, or relish. They can also be served on a bun with your favorite condiments.
Tips
- Use a flavorful beer: The flavor of the beer will be imparted to the brats, so choose a beer that you enjoy drinking.
- Don’t over-soak the brats: Soaking the brats for too long can make them mushy.
- Cook the brats thoroughly: Brats should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Enjoy the brats: Brats are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Wisconsin Beer Brat recipe makes 10 brats. If you’re serving a smaller group of people, feel free to halve the recipe.
- Storage: Keep any leftover brats in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container.
- Prepare ahead of time: Wisconsin Beer Brats are best served warm from the grill, but if you’re hosting a gathering with varying meal times, I suggest cooking them in a slow cooker. You should reverse the process and put them in the slow cooker with the beer and onion. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. Then grill as needed.
- For those without a grill or who would prefer to eat these beer brats indoors, you can sauté them in a skillet or use a stovetop grill pan.
- Additional toppings: If you want to encourage people to “build your own brats,” set up a topping bar with ketchup, sauerkraut, onions, relish, pickles, and a variety of mild and spicy mustards.
Before grilling, simmer raw brats in a mixture of beer and onions for optimal flavor. Make sure the brats are raw, not pre-cooked.
While IPAs, porters, and stouts are excellent options, traditional beers are lagers and Pilsners. Half the beer can be replaced with water in a pot if you don’t want to use so much for bratwurst.
How Long to Boil Brats in Beer Before Grilling
FAQ
Is it good to soak brats in beer?
How do you keep brats warm in beer?
When you boil brats in beer does the alcohol burn off?
How long do you soak Brats in beer?
Also, you soak the brats for 20 minutes in hot but not boiling water. Like cup-of-coffee hot. But you are not cooking them longer in the beer. This is like a post-cooking marinade bath.
What is a BRAT diet?
BRAT is an acronym for Banana, Rice, Applesauce and Toast, which means bananas, rice, apple puree and toast. The BRAT diet consists of low-fiber foods and is often recommended for treating stomach problems, digestive disorders and diarrhea. The use of this diet is not recommended for more than 48 hours, as prolonged use of the BRAT diet can lead to malnutrition due to its low energy content
How long do you boil Brats in beer?
It also makes the brat casing more pliable, so it’s less likely to bust open when the brats get transferred to the grill grate – resulting in a juicer brat! How long to boil brats. 4-5 brats boil in one can of beer for about 25-30 minutes, until the beer is just about boiled off.
Should you soak Bratwurst in beer after grilling?
However, some believe this is a sign of a lazy grill master, and you should only soak brats in beer post-grill for flavor and juiciness. Unless you are from Wisconsin, voicing an opinion on bratwurst is like going to Italy and providing your two cents on pasta.