Easy Beer Brats
- PREP 10min
- COOK 25min
- TOTAL 35min
Here’s our favorite beer brats recipe. We start by browning the bratwursts in a skillet on the stove, then finish them by simmering in beer with onions and peppers. I much prefer this method to the common “simmer then grill” approach. It truly keeps the sausages juicier, and you lose far less fat from the middles of the brats.
You Will Need
1 pound (450g) bratwurst, usually 5 links
1 medium sweet onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, sliced 1/8-inch thick
12 ounces malty lager or pale lager, 1 can or bottle
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
5 to 6 hot dog or sausage bread rolls, split and toasted
Optional: ketchup, spicy brown or yellow mustard and sauerkraut on the side
Directions
Brown bratwursts: Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat for a few minutes, and then add the olive oil. Lay the bratwurst links in the pan and cook slowly. You want to brown the sausages but not sear them. Brown them on one side, then flip over and brown the other side.
Once both sides are brown, transfer the sausages to a plate.
Cook onions and peppers: Add the sliced onions and peppers to the same pan, still over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until they are softened and begin to pick up a little golden color from the pan.
Simmer the brats in beer: Nestle the browned bratwurst back into the pan amongst the onions and peppers. Pour in the beer and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking at a simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half, forming a rich, flavorful gravy. If any foam develops during simmering, simply spoon it off.
Check the seasoning of the gravy and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve: Serve beer brats in the buns topped with peppers and onions and any extra condiments you like. Spoon a little gravy over the top and enjoy!
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Make ahead: Make this recipe as written, but hold off on toasting your buns. Store the brats in the beer gravy (with onions and peppers) in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep them this way for up to 3 days. Reheat in the same skillet (either on the stove or on your grill), toast your buns, and serve!
- Best pan to use: We recommend a well-seasoned cast iron pan or an enamel-coated, heavy skillet. If your cast iron is not well seasoned, it can affect the flavor of the beer.
- Best beer: For the best flavor, use a malty lager. Nothing hoppy, as it will make the onion gravy bitter. A standard American lager like Budweiser is fine, but we prefer to steer clear of light beers for this one (they won’t have enough flavor).
- Do I really need the oil? You may not need the oil for browning the sausages. It depends on how fatty your sausages are. Some leaner sausages need a little oil to get started in the pan.
- Seasoning to taste: We rarely need to add much salt or pepper to the beer gravy. I typically add a small pinch and a few twists of my pepper grinder.
- The nutritional information provided are estimates. We did not include the buns or optional ingredients.