Boiling brats then to griddle

ElkhornHusker

We had a church festival this past weekend and that was how they cooked the brats.  Never heard such a thing.  They used Johnsonville brats which are fully cooked already.  I just shook my head when I heard that.

Photo Egg

It's a good, fast way to cook a larger amount of brats with minimal monitoring and flipping. I like to simmer them in beer with sliced onions and peppers. Toss on the grill direct to give them color and crunch.

Spaightlabs

Agree that is sacrilege, but Johnsonville's brats aren't fully cooked. or partially cooked...they make some other fully cooked products, but not brats.

Nevertheless, if someone just insists that is Wisconsin style, there is some controversy over that.  I submit for your review that true Sconnie style is to grill em on low to med-low to avoid flare ups and add a kiss of deliciousness.  THEN they go into a pot of beer and onions on low heat to keep 'em ready to eat.

Others do it backwards - they boil then grill, but this same type of animal will also pit toilet paper on the holder backwards.

Acn

Boiling is overkill, but poach to cook and then sear to finish is a great way to cook sausages without having to worry about them splitting.  It'd probably also be a lot easier for a big crowd, less managing hot spots and shuffling around.

Also, not all johnsonville brats are precooked.

GrillSgt

Spaightlabs said:

Agree that is sacrilege, but Johnsonville's brats aren't fully cooked. or partially cooked...they make some other fully cooked products, but not brats.

Nevertheless, if someone just insists that is Wisconsin style, there is some controversy over that.  I submit for your review that true Sconnie style is to grill em on low to med-low to avoid flare ups and add a kiss of deliciousness.  THEN they go into a pot of beer and onions on low heat to keep 'em ready to eat.

Others do it backwards - they boil then grill, but this same type of animal will also pit toilet paper on the holder backwards.

That is exactly the way it is done. DO NOT burst them by too high of a temp or boiling. 

RRP

Oh I've seen them done that way many times - and always at a large venue like your church festival or a day long money raiser. While I agree they are cooked they need to be brought up to a heated condition and fast. Going from a cold refrigerator to a hot grate is not going to warm them clear through quickly as they need to be. So just like a sous vide approach the boiled brats can stay hot in the water bath and then on a griddle for a quick sear - otherwise broiled brats are pukey looking!

YEMTrey

I've done them that way in a beer bath with onions before grilling them. 

Spaightlabs

YEMTrey said:

I've done them that way in a beer bath with onions before grilling them. 

Commie.

fishlessman

so its wrong to simmer them in beer and onions, take them out to cool a bit, coat with mustard and jamacan firewalk rub and grill oh wait, those are firecracker bratts you folks are missing out

SmokeyPitt

I do enjoy the brats grilled and then in a beer and onion bath. However, I put in a big pile of onions and just enough beer to cover the onions. More of a braise I suppose. 

I have seen fully cooked Johnsonville brats like these. I have tried them and they are good, but seem to be completely different than their actual fresh (uncooked) brats. These are much more hot-dog like. 

Spaightlabs

That's not a brat - it's a hotdog disguised as a brat.

Your method is spot on.

Boiling in beer is for folks who can't grill.  Or as Ron said, if you have a monster crowd and want to make sure everything is truly cooked.  In that case, boiling first and then hitting with a kiss of flame will do the job, but the product isn't as good, but safer than medium rare brats...been there and done that back when I used to let my father in law cook...

lkapigian

If you make it fresh and are not going to cook it right away, some POACH their brats then freeze........Never Boil but a Gentle simmer to get IT to 160...I usually do this on Boudin before I grill but that is about is

ElkhornHusker

Guess I am not crazy then

lwrehm

Johnsonville does market "pre-grilled" brats and they have for many years in the frozen food section.  I first had them about 6 years ago, they were not too bad, for a reheated brat.

On the pre-boiling of brats, sure sign of a piss-poor grill master that can't control his/her fire.  The pre-cook in beer, or whatever, changes the texture of the sausage in a way that I do not like best way I can describe is they seem "mushy" when done that way.

onedbguru

I am all for the beer/onion bath to cook then grill for color.

Spaightlabs

onedbguru said:

I am all for the beer/onion bath to cook then grill for color.

Do it the other way around - much more bettered.

Focker

Remember reading in a book I gave to my brother, Meathead used some dye in water or beer.  They did take on a ring, and absorbed, but only so much, and simmer wasn't very long if I recall.  Always simmered first, just not as long now.

A brat will turn to mush if simmered for an hour.

Focker

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

Focker

fishlessman said:

so its wrong to simmer them in beer and onions, take them out to cool a bit, coat with mustard and jamacan firewalk rub and grill oh wait, those are firecracker bratts you folks are missing out

This seems wonderful.
May give the firecrackers a whirl when out camping.

RRP

Focker said:

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

LOL - I hear you, buddy, but it seems 3/4 of the responders here today were talking about how they do them at home! The OP as well as my response and some others were addressing serving brats to a large group and normally in a short period of time. Even the beer method just might offend some church types plus serving beer brats to their children! Johnsonville products are cheaper and easier to obtain in bulk than say going to your favorite butcher shop for spectacular, custom made brats.

Focker

RRP said:

Focker said:

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

LOL - I hear you, buddy, but it seems 3/4 of the responders here today were talking about how they do them at home! The OP as well as my response and some others were addressing serving brats to a large group and normally in a short period of time. Even the beer method just might offend some church types plus serving beer brats to their children! Johnsonville products are cheaper and easier to obtain in bulk than say going to your favorite butcher shop for spectacular, custom made brats.

I hear ya, ate one of 8 of these over the weekend, they were gone. 12 nice Kiolbasa Tx sausage links for 20 bucks at Sam's Club.  
Johnsonville are what $4ish for 5?  Idk
A local sausage joint, Stashu's and Sons, makes awesome brats, Johnsonville's price.  

I pity the fool who only has Johnsonville as an option.


Although not for the kiddos, they prefer hot dogs we tossed on the fire...everyone appreciated and raved about the zip and flavor from a unique, store bought option.

thetrim

Depending on the church you're doing 'me for would dictate if it is appropriate to braise in onions and beer....  

lkapigian

Focker said:

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

My point my friend 

bgebrent

lkapigian said:

Focker said:

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

My point my friend 

Point delivered.

gmac

I've had to do big batches for a group too and even though I would do a slow smoke at home, this way ensure you hit internal temp, have a bunch ready at once and to be honest, they aren't that terrible. Yes not perfect but acceptable to most people. 

Of course the alternative is for the OP to volunteer to Egg the brats next year The big problem with knowing how to do stuff right is you end up doing it all sometimes.  

ElkhornHusker

gmac said:

I've had to do big batches for a group too and even though I would do a slow smoke at home, this way ensure you hit internal temp, have a bunch ready at once and to be honest, they aren't that terrible. Yes not perfect but acceptable to most people. 

Of course the alternative is for the OP to volunteer to Egg the brats next year The big problem with knowing how to do stuff right is you end up doing it all sometimes.  

I am part of the group that did the food, K of C, so maybe I will get myself into that spot next time.

SmokeyPitt

Focker said:

RRP said:

Focker said:

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

LOL - I hear you, buddy, but it seems 3/4 of the responders here today were talking about how they do them at home! The OP as well as my response and some others were addressing serving brats to a large group and normally in a short period of time. Even the beer method just might offend some church types plus serving beer brats to their children! Johnsonville products are cheaper and easier to obtain in bulk than say going to your favorite butcher shop for spectacular, custom made brats.

I hear ya, ate one of 8 of these over the weekend, they were gone. 12 nice Kiolbasa Tx sausage links for 20 bucks at Sam's Club.  
Johnsonville are what $4ish for 5?  Idk
A local sausage joint, Stashu's and Sons, makes awesome brats, Johnsonville's price.  

I pity the fool who only has Johnsonville as an option.


Although not for the kiddos, they prefer hot dogs we tossed on the fire...everyone appreciated and raved about the zip and flavor from a unique, store bought option.

@Focker
You had me excited. Sam's club 2 miles from my house. Those look excellent. 

Focker

SmokeyPitt said:

Focker said:

RRP said:

Focker said:

You guys talk about piss poor grilling skills, but are Johnsonville experts. 

LOL - I hear you, buddy, but it seems 3/4 of the responders here today were talking about how they do them at home! The OP as well as my response and some others were addressing serving brats to a large group and normally in a short period of time. Even the beer method just might offend some church types plus serving beer brats to their children! Johnsonville products are cheaper and easier to obtain in bulk than say going to your favorite butcher shop for spectacular, custom made brats.

I hear ya, ate one of 8 of these over the weekend, they were gone. 12 nice Kiolbasa Tx sausage links for 20 bucks at Sam's Club.  
Johnsonville are what $4ish for 5?  Idk
A local sausage joint, Stashu's and Sons, makes awesome brats, Johnsonville's price.  

I pity the fool who only has Johnsonville as an option.


Although not for the kiddos, they prefer hot dogs we tossed on the fire...everyone appreciated and raved about the zip and flavor from a unique, store bought option.

@Focker
You had me excited. Sam's club 2 miles from my house. Those look excellent. 

Sorry to hear this.  
Although their casings are quite thick, I have some better, local options.  Not the end of the world, but check around my friend.

They are a decent instore option.

ChokeOnSmoke

A shot from Sheboygan Brat Days.
Not one of these brats were boiled/precooked.  These guys would be shot on site and thrown in the river if such a thing were done!!  Doesn't matter how many brats you're cooking, don't ruin them by par-boiling them!   They have these fancy flipping grids now, but back in the old days, you paid attention and did it one by one.

http://brat-days.com/brat-days-info/brat-days-history/

RRP

That is a Johnsville semi in the far right. That's cool that they are grilling that many at the same time. Seeing that there is no way possible to serve the hundreds shown there all at once without most of them being cold I wonder how they kept them warm after cooking.

Spaightlabs

Dollars to donuts they went into a shallow beer/butter/onion bath after cooking.

Point being, grill first, beer bath after.

PS - Johnsonville brats get grilled the same way any other non-precooked sausage does.  They are mass produced, yes, but they are still sausages.