Beef Sausages With Beer Recipes

BEER-BRAISED BRATWURST & ONIONS

Steps:

• In a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bratwurst and sear until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the sausage to a plate; set aside. Add the onions and salt to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes (do not burn; reduce the heat if necessary).
• Place the bratwurst back in the pan on top of the onions, add the beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid, and simmer for 10 minutes (at this point the sausages will be partially cooked through). Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium, and continue cooking until the bratwurst are cooked through and the beer is reduced by about three quarters, 10 to 12 minutes more. Serve the bratwurst and onions on rolls with mustard and sauerkraut, if desired.
• Note: I use Johnsonville Original Brats; avoid any brats already flavored with beer, as the finished dish will taste too bitter. Also be sure to purchase fresh (not cooked) sausages.
• Note: Lager is a family of beers that includes bright lagers, amber lagers, dark lagers, Oktoberfests, and pilsners. I use Sam Adams Oktoberfest, but Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite are all good options. No need to use anything fancy!
• Note: The nutritional information does not include the optional serving ingredients.

BEEF SAUSAGES WITH BEER

Steps:

• Put the sausages in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Heat the olive oil in a good-sized pot, and cook the onion and garlic till golden, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). Then add the brown sugar and flour and cook over low heat, until the flour is olden brown as well (5 minutes or so).
• Stir in the beer and the beef stock. Add the sausages, bay leaves, and parsley, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the broth.

BEER-SIMMERED GRILLED SAUSAGES

Steps:

• 1. Prick each sausage a half-dozen times with a needle or pin stuck in a cork. Arrange the onion slices on the bottom of a sauté pan just large enough to hold all the sausages. Place the sausages on top and add beer and water to cover (the ratio should be about 3 parts beer to 1 part water). Place the pan over medium heat and gradually bring the liquid to a simmer, not a rapid boil. Poach the sausages until half-cooked, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a rack on a baking sheet to drain or drain in a colander. Separate the sausages into links.
• 2. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high.
• 3. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Lightly brush the sausages on all sides with oil and place on the hot grate. Grill until the casings are crisp and nicely browned and the sausages are cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. You may want to rotate the sausages 90 degrees after 2 minutes on each side to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. Should flare-ups arise, move the sausages to a different section of the grill. Use a slender metal skewer to test for doneness. Insert it into the center of one of the sausages: It should come out hot to the touch.
• 4. Transfer the sausages to plates or a platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Serve with plenty of mustard.
• Variations: Poaching is optional and not every grill jockey does it. If you omit the poaching, you'll need to grill the sausages 7 to 10 minutes per side.
• For absolutely foolproof sausage grilling, use the indirect method. The sausages will be fully cooked in about 30 minutes.

BEER SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Pour the beer into a large pot, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Layer the potatoes into the bottom of the pot, and sprinkle a little Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the potatoes. Layer the baby carrots, onion, smoked sausage, and cabbage, sprinkling every layer with a bit more of the Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.