Bratwurst

Unknown · May 2004

I'm looking for advice/recipes for cooking Bratwurst on my egg. At this time the only reason I have my gas grill is to enjoy a taste of home but I would love to use the egg for this treat, my concern is the grease that comes out of a good brat, Thanks.

GrillMeister · May 2004

<p />Here's some Johnsonville Brats at last year's Texas Eggfest. I cook them on a raised grid at 325 to 350 and I like to use Hickory chunks. Just keep turning them every 5 to 7 minutes. I've never had problems with flare ups.[p]I'll be doing a few dozen of these for tomorrow's meet & greet at this year's Texas Eggfest. They go great with horseradish mustard and a cold beverage![p]Cheers,[p]GrillMeister
Austin, TX

Squeeze · May 2004

Jeff Brookins,
My favorite way is to put them in a pan with a bottle of dark beer (not Guiness) over about 325 degree fire. Do this til they are hot (not very scientific I know). Put them on a bun with some Mrs. Dogs Disapearing Mustard and you have yourself a dang good meal. Don't forget the PBR!

SSN686 · May 2004

Morning Jeff,[p]I echo GrillMeister's method. The only thing I would add is that I usually sprinkle with any of the Dizzy Pig or Ken Stone rubs (depending on my mood that evening). I usually do a batch of 10 about every two weeks (great for lunches later in the week!).[p]Have a GREAT day![p]Jay

Wise One · May 2004

Jeff Brookins, I do brats quite often but one thing I have learned is to NOT poke them with a fork - before or during cooking. Just be careful when you take that first bite though because it is really juicy.

GrillMeister · May 2004

Wise One,[p]Yeah, I agree. I've seen several "Flame Thrower" brats in my days.

Fairalbion · May 2004

GrillMeister,
Why the raised grid? Is this to keep it away from the flames?

GrillMeister · May 2004

Fairalbion,[p]Yep. For raw brats, I want a slower cook, plus if you use rounded tongs you won't pierce the brat thus creating a flame thrower. As you can see in the pic, they get browned just right.[p]The BGE grid extender is the most commone Eggcessory that I use and it beats my home made one hands down! I'll buy another one before I waste time looking for stainless bolts & washers and a grid at home depot.

Gshell · May 2004

Jeff Brookins,[p]I normally par boil them in a darker beer and onions (dark or amber being key lite beers do not work here) before I grill them, this reduces flare ups and also adds moisture and flavor.
Bring the onions and beer to a boil, add the brats reduce the heat and poach for about 10 min then put the brats and onions over direct heat about 325-350 until the outside gets a little color. Thy it this way I think you'll like it.

Wise One · May 2004

GSHELL, you have now forced me into revealing my favorite way of cooking brats. Start by grilling 13 brats or so over a fairly hot fire (400-500) for just a few minutes to get the outsides brown. Remove from the grill and place into a dutch oven and pierce the skins with a fork. Remove all but one brat to a platter. Using a knife and fork cut this brat up so the meat is in small pieces. Dump in 4 TBS of butter and cook until fairly browned. Add 2-3 TBS of flour and stir until a roux-like mixture is formed. Then dump in two 12oz dark beers (St Pauli Girl or Beck's works well). Stir the mixture and scrape the bottom until all the meat particles have been released from the bottom of the pot. Mix in 1/2 cup of ginger cookie (ginger snaps) crumbs, 2 TBS grated onion, 1/3 cup beef stock (canned works well), 3 TBS lemon juice and fresh ground pepper. Stir until well mixed. Then return the partially cooked brats to the pot. The brats should just about be covered by the sauce. Allow to cook over a 350 degree fire for about 45 minutes to an hour. These are the best tasting brats you will ever have and if you're worried about cholesterol - don't attempt this. The sauce is delicious served over mashed potatoes or halved red potatoes or just plan bread.

Gshell · May 2004

Wise One,
when do we eat!! sounds great!!

Fairalbion · May 2004

GrillMeister,
Don't you find that, the higher something is into the dome, the higher the temp? I've noticed this with my BBQ Guru, the temp down at meat level is substantially than up at dome thermometer level.[p]I'll try the extender next time around; my wife's a Wisconsin German and just love brats, sauerkraut, etc.[p]Regards.

Fairalbion · May 2004

That should read "substantially lower...."

GrillMeister · May 2004

Fairalbion,[p]While th brats may be higher in the dome, so is the thermometer, so smoking the brats at a certain temp works for me. My guru experience is that the dome temp is about 35 degrees hotter than the grid temp.[p]Cheers,[p]Ed

Freak · May 2004

Jeff,[p]I looked at the other postes and did not see any recipes. Are you interested in mixing and casing fresh brats? If you are, I'll share a recipe my brother and I developed a couple of years ago. I hope to bring some to the 'fest in October.[p]-Tom

Wise One · May 2004

GSHELL, October seems a long way off. I may have to do that one this weekend.

Wise One · May 2004

Freak, bring them on. Chef Arnoldi brought some homemade sausage to the 2002 Eggtoberfest and it certainly was good.

Freak · May 2004

Wise One,[p]I saw that is what you signed-up to bring at last year's eggotoberfest, I think. I also make home Italian sausage and andoille too.[p]You are in Atlanta, right? I live in Suwanee with a whole bunch of eggers I brought into the family.[p]-Tom

wdan · May 2004

Jeff Brookins,
I hope you find my response given that your thread is already relatively buried in time. I have been a hard-core Wisconsin-ite who religiously par-broiled brats in beer, onions and anything I'd find laying alongside the highway (especially if it was a Bear fan in the fall). After the boil, I'd burn the begeebers outa them on the grill and then put them back in the pot with the beer, onions and you-know-what...they would then be available for serving throughout both, the early and late games on Sunday. This is how I grew up on brats...no shame in that, either.[p]Then I met my Egg dealer who turned me onto the only way I do brats anymore:
Don't par-boil, save your onions and roadkill for other delicacies...and don't poke nothin' with no forks. Just throw those brats on the egg; But do them indirect at 275-ish with platesetter(keep below 300). Here's the trick...throw on 3 to 5 chunks of grapevine wood. SMOKE the sausages for about an hour, turning them every 15 minutes or so. You'll know they're done when they turn a very distinctive brown color. My guests absolutely rave over these!!! When you really want to impress the masses, serve up some ABT's for appetizers before the sausages. It makes for a fun afternoon or evening hanging around the Egg with your comrades...(or a perfectly valid excuse for you to be hanging around the egg by yourself if you don't particularly want to soialize with your company).

SouthJerseyGrEGG · May 2004

Jeff Brookins,[p]I found an interesting source for brats! I call them the "Omaha Steaks for Bratwurst".[p]Go to www.Germandeli.com

Bratwurst

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