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Brats; to boil or not to boil?

SouthOfI10
SouthOfI10 Posts: 213
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Happy Saturday afternoon.
Folks, I am ashamed to say that today will be my first bratwurst cook on the Egg in almost three years. Ridiculous. Anyway, in the past I have always taken the fresh brats, a vidalia onion and a dark beer and boiled for about an hour before grilling. Do any of y'all go through that trouble or does the Egg magic eliminate the need for boiling?[p]Thanks,[p]scott

Comments

  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    SouthOfI10,
    i have not boiled a brat since i got my egg just go indirect with some smoke (i use cherry. i usually go 275 for 45 min or so
    happy eggin
    tb

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    BENTE,
    When I tried that method, they tasted good but the casings got real tough, what did I do wrong? -RP

  • tomo
    tomo Posts: 78
    AZRP,
    That's why I boil...tom

  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    AZRP,
    well i never really thought about it but i figured that if i boiled them i would rob the natural taste out. i have heard of people who boiled their ribs to make sure they get done. that is how i came up with the no boil on all foods. i used to have a neighbor who boiled everything he put on the grill. i thought he was an idiot!!! but everyone has their thing. when i pulled in with my egg he just thought he was a griller. he figured out real quick that there was more to grilling than just putting marks on food. i am proabably wrong but i have only been to wisconsin once and my family never ate brats it was only when i got out of the house that i found out there were many more things out there to eat.
    happy eggin
    tb

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • Smokey
    Smokey Posts: 2,468
    SouthOfI10,[p]I like to cook them direct. When done (with a bit of char on them), keep them warm simmering in a pot with beer (a dark beer adds a good harty flavor), peppers an onions.[p]Smokey
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    123_2394.jpg
    <p />SouthOfI10, I just cook em direct, raised grid, 350ish with some cherry wood for color. I believe it's time for new brat picture....

    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    DSC01894a.jpg
    <p />tjv,[p]Here is a new one. I must cook 'em the same way you do.[p]~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
    sandt3.jpg
    <p />tjv,
    Why, I still use the same scampi pic. In words of John Candy in Splash. "If something works for me, I stick with it" LOL[p]Warming up in Texas yet?[p]Mike

  • SouthOfI10
    SouthOfI10 Posts: 213
    SouthOfI10,
    Thanks, y'all. Since I already had the dark beer and onion, I split the difference and boiled for only a half hour. They are on the Egg now, direct, raised grid with a little apple wood. New taters have been mashed and are ready. I may post back with a picture if they turn out decent.[p]Thanks again.

  • SouthOfI10,[p]I definitive Brats page....[p]http://www.bratwurstpages.com/brats.html[p]
    and, don't forget the bratswash recipe.....

  • amini1
    amini1 Posts: 105
    SouthOfI10,[p]Never boil them. On the stove in a high sided pan or pot, add brats, beer and onions. Bring up to a simmer and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remember simmer means steaming but not boiling. Then move to grill. I do raised, flipping a few times until brown. Boiling can split the brats and you lose all the juice inside. I never did brats until I got the Egg, now I love them.
  • Brats,[p]Oh, and here's where to get the best ones:[p]http://www.stiglmeier.com/[p]don't even be thinking about the Johnsonville "ghetto brats"...

  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    Brats, best from a Chicago suburb shop, I don't think so...T

    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    tjv,
    Think again, the best I ever had were from a butcher shop in Naperville, Illinois. -RP

  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    AZRP, you need to get out more.....LOL. T

    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    tjv,
    Just got back home Thursday and realized I don't have a single airline ticket purchased for future travel, life is good. -RP

  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    IMG_0674.jpg
    <p />SouthOfI10,
    My favorite way is beer brat style but any way you cook'em in the egg their great.


    BGEBratsMiniHandle003.jpg


  • tjv,
    nice looking probe holder. Is that something you came up with? I could use one (or a couple) of those.[p]Ole Smokey

  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    Ole Smokey, bbq guru folks make them

    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • BabyBoomBBQ
    BabyBoomBBQ Posts: 703
    SouthOfI10,[p]Personally, I like to grill them until they are nearly done first. *Then* add to a beer bath. I've converted several folks who didn't used to like bratwurst with this recipe. Braised Red cabbage goes well with this too. [p]Here's the recipe from Chef to Chef dot net:[p]Beer-Brats on a Bun[p]Grill the sausages first, then add them to a beer sauce for a great sandwich.[p]Makes 4 servings[p]Ingredients:[p]1 pound bratwurst
    3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
    1 large onion, sliced
    12 ounces dark German beer
    2 bay leaves
    1 tablespoon coarse German-style mustard
    4 Kaiser or other hard rolls[p]Preparation:[p]Grill sausages over medium heat until brown and 3/4 done, turning them occasionally as they brown.[p]In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil. Add the onion, cover the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until light brown. [p]Pour in the beer and scrape up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Add grilled sausages to the pan, and add the bay leaves.[p]Partially cover and cook over moderate heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the mustard and cook until the liquid has begun to thicken slightly. To serve, split the brats down the middle and place on a roll with the onions and sauce. Pass a pot of hot mustard on the side.