Authentic Wisconsin Bratwurst Recipes

WISCONSIN BRATWURST

Steps:

• Prick bratwurst with fork to prevent them from exploding as they cook. Place in a large stock pot with the onions, butter, and beer. Place pot over medium heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
• Lightly oil grate. Cook bratwurst on preheated grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Serve hot off the grill with onions on hoagie rolls.

HOMEMADE GERMAN BRATWURST

Steps:

• Combine the pork, fat and crushed ice in a bowl and then, working quickly, use a meat grinder to grind the mixture through a 1/4 inch (6mm) die. Preferably grind the meat mixture into a bowl set atop an ice bath to keep the meat cold. Grind half of the ground mixture a second time. Note: It is imperative that the meat be at a constant cold temperature so that the fat doesn't get too soft. You should be able to see clear definition between the lean meat the specks of fat in the ground mixture.Chill the meat in the refrigerator while you assemble the spice mixture.
• In a small bowl combine all the spices.Remove the ground meat from the fridge and place it on the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the spice mix and dry milk powder.Mix the meat mixture with the paddle for 3-4 minutes until threads begin to appear in the meat: If you take a clump of meat and pull it apart with your fingers you will see tiny threads pulling apart. When you see this your meat is ready. *If the meat mixture is too dry and stiff, add a little ice water. You want a soft/smooth mixture that will easily go into the casings.*This is also the time to taste your sausage mixture so you can adjust the seasonings if needed. To do this, take a bit of the meat mixture, fry it up in a pan, taste it and adjust the seasonings if needed.Place the meat mixture back in the refrigerator while you prepare the casings.
• Thread your sausage stuffer with the prepared hog casings, fill the sausage stuffer with the meat mixture, and stuff the casings being careful to avoid air gaps while also being careful to not over-stuff the casings.Twist the sausages into links. Use a sausage pricker to prick any air bubbles out of the links.For best results chill the sausages overnight.
• To prepare the bratwursts, gently poach them in lightly salted water (place sausages in pot of water, gradually bring liquid to a light simmer/do NOT boil, and poach sausages until partially cooked, 3-4 minutes) and then fry or grill them. Once poached they will keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to a week.You can either freeze the Bratwursts raw prior to poaching (then thaw, poach, fry/grill) or freeze them once they're poached.
• This yields roughly 10 bratwursts depending on the size and diameter.

BRATWURST RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. Before making sausage, please familiarize yourself with best practices as described in our article on The Science Of Sausage Making.
• Slice the meat and fat into cubes removing gristle and sinew. Place it on a plate or pan in the freezer, along with the grinder parts that will contact the meat. Leave it there for about 20 minutes until it is firm but do not let it freeze. This makes grinding easier.
• Grind it with a 1/4" die. Mix in the other ingredients. To get the right classic brat texture, transfer the mix to a food processor and pulse till smoothly emulsified.
• Pinch off a small piece of the sausage and cook it in a frying pan let it cool and taste to see if the seasoning is to your taste. Brats are almost always served as links, but if you wish, nobody will arrest you if you form it into patties, meatballs, or skinless tubes. At least not outside of Wisconsin.
• Cook. You can then grill or smoke it, or store it in the fridge for about 5 days or in the freezer for about a month.

AUTHENTIC WISCONSIN BRATWURST!

Steps:

• Bring the beer, onions and brown sugar to a boil. Place the Brats in the liquid and turn down to lowest heat, so they just simmer. Now get your grill fired up and when it's ready take your brats out of the beer and grill them. Since they are pretty well done, they need very little time on the grill. Turn the heat up to high under the beer. Dump in all or part of your drained sauerkraut. Let it cook on high until the brats come in from the grill (if you are not a lover of sauerkraut leave this off).
• Condiments: Mustard, catsup, sweet pickle relish, raw onions as well as the sauerkraut onion mixture from the pot your brats where inches In Milwaukee we could buy a Brat Bun which is firmer more like French bread. But hot dog or hoagie buns will work too. :-).
• When they cook them on the parking lots, they put the grilled brats right back into the beer and hold them there until people buy them. They have large pans sitting at the back of the grills. Since it's a promotion, they sell for $1.00. Yummmm!

BRATWURST STEWED WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• In a large pan, heat oil over high heat. Brown bratwurst in oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic and cook until lightly caramelized. Add stock, paprika, caraway seeds, and sauerkraut and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh dill. Serve on baguette.

GERMAN BRATWURST

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels (save for another use). Drain, reserving 4 tablespoons drippings. In the drippings, cook bratwurst for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. Drain skillet. , In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and broth until smooth; set aside. Add the mustard, brown sugar, wine, vinegar and celery seed to skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is hot and bubbly., Gradually add cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return bratwurst to the pan; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes longer or until glazed.

WISCONSIN BRATWURST

Steps:

• In a large stock pot add onions, butter, beer, and pepper. Prick bratwurst with a fork to keep them from exploding while they cook. Simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grates. When grill is hot, add bratwurst and grill for 10-14 minutes turning often for even browning.
• Place in hoagie rolls, add additional onion and serve immediately.

BEER WISCONSIN BRATWURST

Steps:

• Melt butter in a Dutch oven saute onions till tender 5 minutes.
• Add sugar, caraway seeds, and pepper stir in and place brats on top, cover the brats with beer drink the remaining. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked. Remove brats and add kraut and stir.
• Place brats on medium high grill and cook brats until golden brown and return to beer/kraut mixture until ready to serve. Serve brats on fresh baked brat buns with sauerkraut & onions, fresh grated horseradish, ketchup, and/or mustard.