Easy Beer Brats
These are our favorite beer brats! Perfectly browned and juicy bratwurst sausages simmered in a rich, flavorful beer and onion gravy, all done on the stove. Perfect for serving on buns or enjoying all by itself! If there’s one dish that’s guaranteed to make Adam smile, it’s these beer brats! The method is simple, but it’s perfected with a few clever tricks from Chef Richard, who makes the best beer brats ever (I’m absolutely convinced on this one!). The magic of this recipe comes down to two things: the beer you choose (yes, you can choose incorrectly, so check my tips!) and making sure you slowly brown your sausages to build incredible flavor before simmering them in our delicious onion beer gravy. By the way, if you love the pork and onion combination, we also have this pork tenderloin with peppers and onions! Key Ingredients Bratwurst: These German-style sausages are typically made with pork and seasoned with milder spices, such as marjoram, coriander, nutmeg, and pepper. Known affectionately as “brats” across the US, their mild flavor makes them perfect for a variety of dishes. For this recipe, we will brown them on the outside and then simmer in beer. Thanks to the fat added to the sausages and the moist cooking environment, they remain incredibly juicy inside. If you can’t find bratwurst, try mild Italian sausage instead. Beer: For the best flavor, use a malty lager or pale lager. Nothing hoppy, as it will make the onion gravy bitter. A standard American lager like Budweiser works in a pinch, but we prefer to steer clear of light beers for this one (they won’t have enough flavor). Onions and Peppers: We love sweet onions (think Walla Walla or Vidalia) and red bell peppers, but yellow onions or other peppers are just fine (or you can leave the peppers out if that’s more your style). Buns: Look for something soft and not too big (you don’t want it to dwarf the sausage). I love a simple hoagie-style roll, brioche-style buns, or a good-quality potato roll. Extras: Some people love a grainy mustard with beer brats and I’ll never turn down a side of sauerkraut! Here’s our quick fresh sauerkraut (not fermented, but delicious) as well as our fermented sauerkraut! Bratwurst: These German-style sausages are typically made with pork and seasoned with milder spices, such as marjoram, coriander, nutmeg, and pepper. Known affectionately as “brats” across the US, their mild flavor makes them perfect for a variety of dishes. For this recipe, we will brown them on the outside and then simmer in beer. Thanks to the fat added to the sausages and the moist cooking environment, they remain incredibly juicy inside. If you can’t find bratwurst, try mild Italian sausage instead. Beer: For the best flavor, use a malty lager or pale lager. Nothing hoppy, as it will make the onion gravy bitter. A standard American lager like Budweiser works in a pinch, but we prefer to steer clear of light beers for this one (they won’t have enough flavor). Onions and Peppers: We love sweet onions (think Walla Walla or Vidalia) and red bell peppers, but yellow onions or other peppers are just fine (or you can leave the peppers out if that’s more your style). Buns: Look for something soft and not too big (you don’t want it to dwarf the sausage). I love a simple hoagie-style roll, brioche-style buns, or a good-quality potato roll. Extras: Some people love a grainy mustard with beer brats and I’ll never turn down a side of sauerkraut! Here’s our quick fresh sauerkraut (not fermented, but delicious) as well as our fermented sauerkraut! Use medium heat to brown your sausages (don’t sear them on high heat). Our goal is to slowly develop a rich, golden-brown crust before simmering them with the beer. The gravy simmers for 10 to 15 minutes, which means it will reduce by about half. This is why we are so specific with the best beer to use. If you were to use a hoppy or bitter beer, you would be reducing and intensifying that flavor when you simmer, making your gravy bitter. Easy Beer Brats PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins TOTAL 35 mins PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins TOTAL 35 mins 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. 5 Servings 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 1Brown 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. 2Once both sides are brown, transfer the sausages to a plate. 3Cook 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. 4Simmer 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. 5Check the seasoning of the gravy and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. 6Serve: 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! 1Brown 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. 2Once both sides are brown, transfer the sausages to a plate. 3Cook 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. 4Simmer 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. 5Check the seasoning of the gravy and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. 6Serve: 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. 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. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/5 of the recipe (assumed 5 links and buns) / Calories 476 / Total Fat 23.8g / Saturated Fat 5.9g / Cholesterol 89.1mg / Sodium 739mg / Carbohydrate 34.1g / Dietary Fiber 4.5g / Total Sugars 7.6g / Protein 26g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us Previous Post: Easy Napa Cabbage Salad Next Post: Easy Cowboy Candy