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Easy Bratwurst Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Easy Bratwurst Recipe

The first time I made bratwurst at home, I honestly wasn't expecting it to taste this good. I browned the sausages in a skillet, let them finish cooking in a pool of beer and onions, and by the time dinner was ready, my kitchen smelled like a German beer hall.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 fresh uncooked bratwurst links – always pick raw brats, not pre-cooked, for the juiciest bite
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – helps the sausages brown evenly without sticking to the pan
  • 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced – they turn soft and golden, building the base flavor of the gravy
  • 2 12-ounce bottles malty lager beer – skip hoppy IPAs, they'll make the gravy taste bitter
  • 1 tablespoon butter – adds richness as the onions soften
  • 1 teaspoon salt – wakes up every other flavor in the pan
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – adds warmth without overpowering the sausage
  • 1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard for serving – cuts through the richness with a tangy bite
  • 6 hoagie rolls or pretzel buns for serving – toast them lightly for extra crunch

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the bratwurst links. Let them sear for a few minutes per side until deeply golden brown all over. Resist poking them with a fork here, since piercing the casing lets the juices escape and leaves you with dry sausage.
  2. Once the brats are nicely browned, transfer them to a plate and set them aside for a moment. They won't be fully cooked through yet, and that's exactly the point, since they'll finish cooking gently in the beer later. This step is really just about building color and flavor.
  3. In the same skillet, add the butter and sliced onions. Cook them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they turn soft and golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. All those browned bits left behind from the sausages will dissolve into the onions and add incredible depth.
  4. Once the onions are softened, pour in both bottles of lager and stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. This beer-onion base is what turns simple sausages into something really memorable.
  5. Nestle the browned bratwurst back into the skillet with the onions and beer. Reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer gently for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning the sausages occasionally, until they're cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
  6. Once the brats are done, you can remove them and let the beer-onion mixture reduce a bit longer if you'd like a thicker gravy. Spoon the onions and a little of the sauce over the sausages, then serve them hot with mustard and toasted rolls on the side.

Notes

  • I always let the beer come to room temperature before pouring it in, since ice-cold beer straight from the fridge cools the pan down too fast and slows the simmer.
  • I never crowd the skillet with all six brats at once if my pan is on the smaller side, because they steam instead of browning properly.
  • I like adding a splash of beef broth along with the beer when I want a slightly deeper, meatier gravy.
  • I always taste the onions before serving and adjust the salt, since the beer can mellow out the seasoning more than you'd expect.
  • I keep a lid nearby for the simmering stage, since covering the pan partway through helps the brats cook through faster and more evenly.