# how to cook bratwurst? **URL:** \ **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:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/21 "2005-02-07T02:33:53Z")
> [@LorieSmurf](#): > > I know. I just wanted some specifics. I know. I didn’t mean that snarkily. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/22 "2005-02-07T02:41:44Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > 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) And, as I noticed, from the same site there is a recipe [detailing the method I gave as well](http://www.bratwurstpages.com/bratrecipe3.html), listed as “Classic Wisconsin Beer Brats.” Pretty much the same recipe as for the Sheboygan brats, except you hold them in a beer “batter” of beer & onions. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/23 "2005-02-07T02:48:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > And, as I noticed, from the same site there is a recipe [detailing the method I gave as well](http://www.bratwurstpages.com/bratrecipe3.html), listed as “Classic Wisconsin Beer Brats.” Pretty much the same recipe as for the Sheboygan brats, except you hold them in a beer “batter” of beer & onions. Pretty much the same, except for the beer! 😃 Sheboygan is still pretty German! Beer is for drinking there, not for dipping your wurst in! Of course, that’s just regional prejudice speaking, go ahead and please yourself. Can’t count on pleasing anybody else anyway! Damn, now I’m hungry for brats! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/24 "2005-02-07T03:14:49Z")
Naw, being a bit of a purist (and having spent a good deal of time travelling through Germany), I do like the plain ol’ grilled brat _ohne_ beer simmer. Give me a yummy Thuringer bratwurst or even a Berlin-style currywurst (yeah, I know it sounds like an abomination, but it is incredibly good.) But I had to represent the American innovation of stewing your brats in beer & onion. It wouldn’t be right otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/25 "2005-02-07T05:34:55Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Berlin-style currywurst (yeah, I know it sounds like an abomination, but it is incredibly good.) /QUOTE] actually, the add water and nuke dehydrated currywurst is a tool of the devil… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/26 "2005-02-07T20:44:40Z")
[QUOTE=aruvqan] > [@pulykamell](#): > > Berlin-style currywurst (yeah, I know it sounds like an abomination, but it is incredibly good.) > /QUOTE] > actually, the add water and nuke dehydrated currywurst is a tool of the devil… ☹ Actually, now that I think about it, currywurst isn’t made from bratwurst, but rather knockwurst. Only way to get it is from streetside vendors. Chopped into 1/2 thick disks, and slathered in some kind of tomato sauce and copious amounts of curry powder. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/27 "2005-02-07T21:46:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Actually, now that I think about it, currywurst isn’t made from bratwurst, but rather knockwurst. Only way to get it is from streetside vendors. Chopped into 1/2 thick disks, and slathered in some kind of tomato sauce and copious amounts of curry powder. Thought they just used the curry-catsup? Tried some of the curry-catsup while there and that was pretty vile=\ Just give me pretty much any wurst and sweet mustard…preferrably freshly made weisswurst _before_ noon, and with fresh pretzels on the side=) damn, now i want some maltaschen for a snack=( and I dont have the makings=( ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/28 "2005-02-07T21:57:05Z")
There are a lot of opinions on this. I prefer to simmer in beer, water and onions, then toss them on the grill briefly, or on a grill pan in the oven for a few minutes. The best part about this is that you can easily try many different ways (and different beers!) until you find the method that you like the best. What I strongly suggest, though, is that you try your hand at making your own bratwurst. If you have a meat grinder with a sausage-making attachment, all you need is some ground pork, some natural casing, and various spices. If you make your own, you can tweak the recipe to your specific taste. [Penzeys bratwurst seasoning](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysbratwurst.html) is a wonderful pre-mixed seasoning if you want to get a ‘base’ bratwurst made right away. I try to make more of these every few months. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/29 "2005-02-07T22:07:49Z")
Dang, this thread is making me hungry. And no brats in the fridge, either. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/30 "2005-02-07T22:13:49Z")
Another way is to head to a Brewer game and tailgating with a mini-grill where you grill the brats while drinking Old Milwaukee and occasionally simply pouring your beer over the brats as the cooked. Not the gourmet way but a perfectly acceptable variant. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/31 "2005-02-07T22:36:27Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Thought they just used the curry-catsup? Tried some of the curry-catsup while there and that was pretty vile=\ > > Just give me pretty much any wurst and sweet mustard…preferrably freshly made weisswurst _before_ noon, and with fresh pretzels on the side=) > > damn, now i want some maltaschen for a snack=( and I dont have the makings=( No, the stuff I always got in Berlin and in parts of Munich definitely had powdered curry shaken all over it. It’s fun as a change, but is nothing like a good Thuringer or, as you said, weisswurst for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/32 "2005-02-07T22:38:34Z")
> [@lno](#): > > There are a lot of opinions on this. I prefer to simmer in beer, water and onions, then toss them on the grill briefly, or on a grill pan in the oven for a few minutes. The best part about this is that you can easily try many different ways (and different beers!) until you find the method that you like the best. > > What I strongly suggest, though, is that you try your hand at making your own bratwurst. If you have a meat grinder with a sausage-making attachment, all you need is some ground pork, some natural casing, and various spices. If you make your own, you can tweak the recipe to your specific taste. > > [Penzeys bratwurst seasoning](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysbratwurst.html) is a wonderful pre-mixed seasoning if you want to get a ‘base’ bratwurst made right away. I try to make more of these every few months. Hey, if you have a good recipe, please do share. There’s so many out there, it’s kind of hard to pick and choose. I definitely prefer the pork-and-veal versions, though (which, as far as I understand it, is the correct meat mixture for bratwurst.) ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/33 "2005-02-07T22:42:09Z")
My favorite type of beer to use for brats was a good Vienna/Marzen/Oktoberfest, where the nice caramel-ish maltiness shines through a lot more than a pale lager, and adds a nice dimension especially to the kraut. (My personal favorite was Penn Oktoberfest, but Great Lakes’ Eliot Ness is a nice year-round substitute). Ohh, and when I do brats, I always grill the outsides and then simmer them with the kraut. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/34 "2005-02-08T03:10:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No, the stuff I always got in Berlin and in parts of Munich definitely had powdered curry shaken all over it. It’s fun as a change, but is nothing like a good Thuringer or, as you said, weisswurst for breakfast. Blech…the curry catsup is bad enough, but to abuse perfectly good wurst with catsup and curry powder… happy to have 5 kilos of homemade weisswurst in the freezer=) and I know what breakfast is tomorrow=) ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621/35 "2005-02-08T07:38:55Z")
Mmm…my bratwurst turned out pretty damn good. Thanks for y’alls advice! Next time I may try something different, but the simmering in beer, water, and onions first, then browning in a skillet turned out very well! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-cook-bratwurst/288621.md?page=1)