Make These Wisconsin Beer Brats for Your Next Tailgate Party

Ingredient Notes

Bratwurst

Always start with raw than pre-cooked sausages. There is nothing wrong with a pack of Johnsonville brats! If you aren't a Wisconsin local but want to pretend you are, you can shop online with Glenn's Market or Usinger's.

Beer

Pilsners and lagers are traditional, but IPAs, porters, and stouts all work wonderfully. If you cannot bear to pour that much beer into a pot for cooking bratwurst, substitute half the beer for water.

Sauerkraut

If you have the time, you can make your own sauerkraut in 5 days with just cabbage, salt, and juniper berries.

Recipe Tips and Variations

Yield

This Wisconsin Beer Brat recipe makes 10 brats. Feel free to halve the recipe if you're serving a smaller crew.

Storage

Refrigerate any extra brats in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Make Ahead

Beer brats are best straight off the grill, but for gatherings with staggered mealtimes, I recommend preparing Wisconsin Beer Brats in a slow cooker so you can keep them warm until you're ready to serve.

You'll want to flip-flop the method: Place them in the slow cooker with the onion and beer. Cook for 4 hours on HIGH, or 7 to 8 hours on LOW. Then grill as needed.

Go Grill-Free

If you don't own a grill or want to enjoy these beer brats inside, simply use a stovetop grill pan or sauté in a skillet instead.

More Toppings

To allow everyone to BYOB (build your own brat), consider a topping bar with sauerkraut, onions, relish, pickles, ketchup, and a couple different mild and spicy mustards.

BEER BRATS RECIPE

Ingredients

• 10 bratwurst (raw, see note 1)
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 4 (12 ounce) cans beer (see note 2)
• 10 brat buns split, for serving
• Ketchup and mustard, for serving
• Sauerkraut for serving (see note 3)

Instructions

1. Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Clean and oil grate. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add brats, onion, and beer.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until brats are cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove brats to a bowl or platter. Continue cooking onions in beer while grilling the brats (use as a topping if desired).
3. Increase heat to medium and cook brats, turning frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve in buns with your favorite toppings.

Nutrition 

• Serving: 1brat on a bun
• Calories: 423kcal
• Carbohydrates: 39g
• Protein: 16g
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 49mg
• Sodium: 914mg
• Potassium: 342mg
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 5g
• Vitamin A: 5IU
• Vitamin C: 2mg
• Calcium: 145mg
• Iron: 3mg