Wisconsin Beer Brats

It ’ s not summer or tailgate season without beer brats. If you like the spirit of caramelize onions, then you ’ ll love this easily 4-ingredient broiled terror recipe .

Beer brats with relish, onions, and ketchup on buns.

Beer brats are a time-honored Midwestern custom, and no summer barbecue or tailgate party would be accomplished without them. It ’ s one of the many things Wisconsinites do good !
Stock up on batch of beer for the gather, then tuck some away to infuse loads of season into these crowd-pleasing brats .

Reading: Wisconsin Beer Brats

Recipe ingredients

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.

Step-by-step instructions

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Clean and oil grate. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add brats, onion, and beer. 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). Increase heat to medium and cook brats, turning frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve in buns with your favorite toppings.

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.

It’s not summer or tailgate season without beer brats. If you like the flavor of caramelized onions, then you’ll love this easy 4-ingredient grilled brat recipe.

4.96

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votesReview

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Cook Time

mins

Total Time

mins

Servings

servings

Course

Main Course

Cuisine

American

Calories

423

Ingredients

▢

10 bratwurst ( crude, see note 1 )
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1 large onion thinly sliced
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4 ( 12 snow leopard ) cans beer ( see bill 2 )
▢

10 bratwurst buns split, for serving
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Ketchup and mustard, for serving
▢

sauerkraut for serving ( see note 3 )

Instructions

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Clean and oil grate. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add brats, onion, and beer.
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).

Read more: Million Dollar Roast Beef Tenderloin Recipe
Increase heat to medium and cook brats, turning frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve in buns with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Video

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.
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.