# how to cook bratwurst?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 6, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621 "2005-02-06T05:52:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/1 "2005-02-06T05:52:24Z")
My fella and I are having a bratwurst craving. I’ve never cooked them myself, and he can’t even cook instant oatmeal. I’ve seen past threads on this, and through the snarling and name-calling I’ve figured out I’m supposed to boil them in beer, and then cook them. But NOT PIERCE THEM.
But what kind of beer? how much beer? for how long? and how long do I cook them after that? And on what? I don’t have a grill. Well, I have a George Foreman knock-off, and I have a skillet.
Thanks in advance! My mouth is watering in anticipation of your bratwurst guru advice.
[homer]…mmmm…bratwurst…[/homer]
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### Author:  [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/2 "2005-02-06T05:58:16Z")
Dang! posted in the wrong forum.
could a mod move this to Cafe Society please? Thanks!
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/3 "2005-02-06T05:58:24Z")
Cheap beer. Schaeffer’s. Coors. Iron City.
Put brats in kettle. Add enough beer to cover, plus a bit. Bring to a boil. Go drink beer. Drink some more beer. No, have another. Take cooked brats from kettle. Drain. Put on roll with good mustard, maybe some kraut, and enjoy. I never bother grilling the brats after boiling in beer. Grilling is a whole 'nother way to cook tham.
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### Author:  [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/4 "2005-02-06T05:59:45Z")
I’ve always steamed them in a covered frying pan filled with a half-inch of water (burner on high; get the water boiling), and with the wursts sitting in one of those folding collenders. I wait until they get nice and bloated (a glass lid helps).
I suppose you could use beer for the steaming, instead of water?
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### Author:  [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/5 "2005-02-06T06:12:24Z")
I would go with the rule of thumb that is applied to wines, similarly, cook with a beer you enjoy or would drink.
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### Author:  [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/6 "2005-02-06T06:15:14Z")
I’m afraid the boiling in beer is really an american affectation, though. Generally, bratwurst are traditionally and very simply grilled in Germany.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/7 "2005-02-06T06:22:06Z")
> [@devilsknew](#):
>
> I would go with the rule of thumb that is applied to wines, similarly, cook with a beer you enjoy or would drink.
Actually, in the case of bratwurst, any good ol’ American Adjunct Lager (e.g. Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.) will do just fine. There’s no need to waste good beer on brats. You could if you want, but it’s pretty much pointless. The light taste of American beer is just fine, if not perfect, for brats.
The classic Wisconsin way to do it is to grill your brats, and then to hold them in a _simmering_ mixture of beer & onions. (I’d say like three bottles of beer and one large onion. You can’t really go wrong with the proportions, so just wing it.) _Do not let this mixture boil._ When you’re ready to serve, take them out of the beer & onion mixture and put it on a brat bun–not a hot dog bun–with mustard. It doesn’t really matter how long you leave them in there. Do not use precooked brats for this method.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/8 "2005-02-06T06:24:04Z")
> [@devilsknew](#):
>
> I’m afraid the boiling in beer is really an american affectation, though. Generally, bratwurst are traditionally and very simply grilled in Germany.
Oh, yes, definitely. I think it’s purely a Wisconsin thing. I’ve never seen it done with beer in Germany.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/9 "2005-02-06T06:28:45Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Oh, yes, definitely. I think it’s purely a Wisconsin thing. I’ve never seen it done with beer in Germany.
That’s because German beer is worth drinking! 😃
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### Author:  [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/10 "2005-02-06T07:44:01Z")
> [@LorieSmurf](#):
>
> Dang! posted in the wrong forum.
>
> could a mod move this to Cafe Society please? Thanks!
Don’t you really mean Great Debates? 😉
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### Author:  [@indecisive1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indecisive1)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/11 "2005-02-06T12:02:01Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#):
>
> Don’t you really mean Great Debates? 😉
Or the pit!
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### Author:  [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/12 "2005-02-06T12:23:07Z")
I’ll go with the cooking in beer but simmer, don’t boil the brats, it will make them tough. Cover the brats in beer, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. This will take about 45 minutes to an hour. When the brats are almost done, cook some sliced onions and bell peppers in a frying pan with butter till soft, push to the side and sear the brats to add some color to the casing. Put the brat on a bun or roll, add some of the onions and peppers along with your favorite condiments and enjoy.
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### Author:  [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/13 "2005-02-06T12:36:58Z")
i think the more important question is can you get good brats in OK? my mom brings them back with her (and cheese) when she comes back from SC because she can’t get good ones there.
\*\*
Pulykamell \*\*is just about dead on with his/her method. If you have time, simmer them in bath of beer and onions before, then grill them. Most of the time we just toss them on the grill and go. Depends on how much time we want to spend.
Don’t stab them with a fork to get the juices out, it will flame up your grill and the brat will lose it’s ‘flavor’. Pickle relish and chopped raw onions, or ketchup and mustard.
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### Author:  [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/14 "2005-02-06T12:54:13Z")
Since you have a Foreman-type grill, give that a try too. I like them either way, boiled or Foreman grilled. My personal favorite is the Johnsonvile Irish Garlic style with dijon mustard, chopped onion and giardinera.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/15 "2005-02-06T15:36:57Z")
Did you buy any saur kraut (pickled cabbage)? It’s a must.
Recipe time.
Brats
Onion (diced/chopped)
Sourcream
Red Saur Kraut
Regular Saur Kraut
Big soup pot, couple of quarts anyway
Cut the brats into 2-4 inch or so sections.
Put all ingredients in pot. Heat for a couple of hours, serve with mustard on the side.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/16 "2005-02-06T16:45:18Z")
Off to **Cafe Society**.
**Cajun Man**
for the SDMB
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### Author:  [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/17 "2005-02-06T17:30:49Z")
Here’s how I cooked mine on Friday:
1. Put 3 cans Keystone Light in large saucepan with sliced onion. Add brats, bring to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to dissipate foam.
2. While brats simmer, preheat grill to medium-low.
3. Remove brats and place on grill. Turn every 2-3 minutes until browned on all sides.
4. Drain beer from onions and place onions in skillet with some butter and cook until caramelized.
5. Put brat on brat roll, top with onions and serve alongside a beer.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/18 "2005-02-06T18:14:28Z")
We’ve done this before.
[Bratwurst - brown then boil, or boil then brown?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=250771)
And we found the _correct_ answer in Sheboygan, the USA Bratwurst Mecca:
[Sheboygan purist grilled bratwurst recipe](http://www.bratwurstpages.com/bratrecipe2.html)
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### Author:  [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/19 "2005-02-06T21:44:13Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#):
>
> We’ve done this before.
I know. I just wanted some specifics.
I think what I’ll do is simmer them in some beer and onions, then (since I’m afraid my foreman grill will squish the oblivion out of them) I will brown the brats and the onions with some sauerkraut in a skillet. After that, on some buns with brown mustard.
Thanks for your help guys!
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### Author:  [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/20 "2005-02-06T21:45:58Z")
> [@The Big Cheese](#):
>
> i think the more important question is can you get good brats in OK? my mom brings them back with her (and cheese) when she comes back from SC because she can’t get good ones there.
Oh, and I just got some Johnsonville brand bratwurst. I know they’re probably not the best in the world, but pretty much all I can get around here.
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