Brats and Sauerkraut -first time help

Gene is going to grill some Johsonville Brats. I bought sauerkraut. I've never had them. What is your favorite way to eat them? Do I add anything to the kraut? I have some onion chopped, as I thought raw onion might be nice. Mustard, ketchup? Pickles?

It's a big ol' hot dog. You know what to do.

I should have been more clear with my question. I did research on cooking brats and I saw many recipes that called for grilling the brats, then , for instance, adding to the simmering pot of sauerkraut, onions and beer, for another 30 minutes. Many said not to butterfly or pierce the skin of the brat. So it seems they are just more than a hot dog, at least to the writers of the recipes. Some even called for simmering in beer for 20 minutes, then grilling. Why the two cooking procedures? Do they get more plump that way?

Oh you have opened a can of worms here, Karen!

If you are from Sheboygan or Green Bay, you prepare the grill, soap the bottom of a big pot, fill the pot with beer, and put it on the grill. Grill the brats (WITHOUT piercing or butterflying!!!!). As they get done, take them off the grill and drop them in the beer.

This is anathema to you if you are from Milwaukee. If you are from Milwaukee, you simmer the brats in the beer before putting them on the grill.

Neither town recommends putting sauerkraut in the beer.

When you're ready to eat, you take a split kaiser roll and put two brats, some mustard, and a scallion on it. Pop open your can of Leinie's and eat.

By the way, the Milwaukee people are completely in the wrong here, in case you couldn't tell.

(And if this doesn't draw Dave R back here, I don't know what will.)

In Milwaukee, it was historically Blatz. But, yeah, look's like Leinie's taking over the place.

Then there's the place, now gone, that used to specialize in brat patties on a potato bun--or as they called it there, a pataytah roll. With a little dab of that there mustard there, yeah?

This is what I did. Sauerkraut, splashes of bold German beer diced onion, caraway seed were put on the stove to simmer. Red onion slices in very small amount of butter and evoo, in another pot to caramelize. Gene grilled the brats until he got grill marks (are grill marks over rated?) then we sunk them into the simmering sauerkraut mix. After about 20 minutes, they had become nice plump rascals, ready for the bun. Gene grilled corn on the cob and French sweet rolls, (that we had pulled the bread out of the center of one side) and toasted them nicely. The brat was placed into that cavity, topped with sauerkraut, and caramelized onions. A slather of German stout mustard on the other bun made for an excellent sandwich.

I prefer cold raw kraut on my sausage sandwiches. If I am cooking kraut I add sauteed onion, chopped apple and a little white wine. I cook the mixture until most of the moisture is removed. I like dry kraut. If I want to add variety I add either dill or caraway. My preference of the two is dill.

The apples are key, Geo. A bit of sweet improves kraut a lot. (...sez the man who dislikes cabbage in all its myriad forms...)

May I tell you how we in Bavaria are preparing Bratwurst and Sauerkraut. For the Sauerkraut melt 3 tablespoons of lard in a pot, add 1 diced onion and cook at moderate temperature until lucent. Throw in 800 g drained Sauerkraut and stir a minute. Deglace with 100 ml dry white wine and cook until the liquid is nearly disappeared. Add 400 ml vegetable stock and a piece of bacon rind. Cook 45 Minutes at moderate heat. Put 5 black peppercorns, 1 tsp Caraway seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf and 4 smashed juniper berries into a linen bag, tie it up and add it together with 1 diced apple to the sauerkraut after 30 minutes cooking time. At the end of the cooking time remove the linen bag and season with a pinch of cayenne pepper, a pinch of sugar and some salt. For the Bratwurst heat up some oil in a pan add the Bratwurst and fry at moderate heat until done. The Bratwurst will be served on a plate with Sauerkraut and fried potatoes. When the dish is on the table the beer have to play its part as a necessary beverage.

Indeed the combination of sausages and sauerkraut varies from locale to locale even to the point where different villages within Alsace will have different traditions in their combinations and cooking methods. Following is a Strasbourg recipe for choucroute garni and the list of spices in the recipe may give you some hints for preparing your own sauerkraut.

Best
Rogov


Choucroute Garni


4 1/2 lb (2 kilo) sauerkraut, washed and drained
31/2 lb (1 1/2 kilo) loin of pork
2 1/4 lb (1 kilo) bacon or salt pork, in thick slices
6 pigs' feet or knuckles, well cleaned
8 - 10 knockwurst
1 garlic sausage
1 piece salt pork, about 1/2 lb (225 gr)
12 medium new potatoes
4 cloves garlic
3 tsp. black pepper
12 juniper berries
1/2 tsp. dill
white wine as required

Line a large kettle with the bacon slices and to this add
the sauerkraut. Wipe the pork loin with a damp cloth and
add this to the mixture along with the pigs' feet, large
piece of salt pork, garlic, pepper, juniper berries and
dill. Pour over enough white wine to just cover the
ingredients, cover and simer gently for 4 hours. Add the
garlic sausage and cook another 20 minutes and then add
the knockwurst and cook 20 minutes longer.

When the garlic sausage is put up to cook cover the
potatoes, in a separate saucepan, with lightly salted
water and let them boil until just tender.

On a very large serving platter arrange the sauerkraut in
the center. Surround this with the pigs' feet, sausages
and potatoes. Slice the pork loin, the large piece of
salt pork and lay these on the platter. Distribute the
slices of bacon. Serve hot. (Serves 6 - 10).

Note: This dish may be served immediately after
preparation but will be further enhanced if allowed to
cool overnight and then heated through just prior to
serving 24 hours later.

Whew, this got complicated. Even more so than chili with/without beans. It's OK, we had a great sandwich.

[Jenise]

Mike, soap up the bottom of the pot?

I think the question is actually where do you get the best fresh brats? I know Dave R and I had this conversation awhile back when I wanted to get some for my Dad (who is originally from Milwaukee.) At the time, I think Dave said Usingers, which is where I ordered them. My Dad is really fussy about fresh brats and his main complaint is that they are too salty. He liked Usingers but I think he said they were not the best he'd ever had. Wonder where those would be obtained??

Not current with my brats, Carrie, but Usinger is a pretty reliable name in the sausage world of Milwaukee. Very traditional style brats. Beyond Usingers, I dunno. Johnsonville Brats are pretty much everywhere, but I don't know that I've ever tried them.

Not current with my brats, Carrie, but Usinger is a pretty reliable name in the sausage world of Milwaukee. Very traditional style brats. Beyond Usingers, I dunno. Johnsonville Brats are pretty much everywhere, but I don't know that I've ever tried them.

He is definitely not a fan of Johnsonville. One link has 810 MGs of sodium (34%). Yikes!

We are not fans of Johnsonville either. We like the par-boiled (white) ones. Even when we make our own we par-boil before freezing.

BRATWURST:

10 lbs Ground pork
5 lbs Ground veal
5 tbl Salt
3 tbl Pepper
1½ tbl Ground nutmeg
1½ tbl Ground mace
½ C Dry chives
1 C White wine or milk
Sausage casings

If meat whole, cut into small pieces and grind finely. Mix well with all other ingredients. Stuff into casings and link into 5” lengths. Cover with hot water in a large stockpot, and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let stand until firm. Remove from water, and refrigerate or freeze.

If you're not going to do a full choucroute garni (a dish I adore), but just brats and sauerkraut, my vote is Heinz's recipe, except that I would grill the brats.

-Paul W.

Mike, soap up the bottom of the pot?

If I'm not mistaken, soaping the bottom of the pot makes for easy clean up. My dad used to do that when he put pots or pans directly on the fire when we were camping. It gets the char off easily.

Mike, soap up the bottom of the pot?

If I'm not mistaken, soaping the bottom of the pot makes for easy clean up. My dad used to do that when he put pots or pans directly on the fire when we were camping. It gets the char off easily.

Exactly.

[Jenise]

Mike, soap up the bottom of the pot?

If I'm not mistaken, soaping the bottom of the pot makes for easy clean up. My dad used to do that when he put pots or pans directly on the fire when we were camping. It gets the char off easily.

Exactly.

OOOH! I was thinking you were soaping the inside bottom of the pot!

i'm with you jenise. completely missed the meaning of 'bottom'. not our fault though.

OOOH! I was thinking you were soaping the inside bottom of the pot!

I see your confusion then! If I wanted soap in my food, I'd just add cilantro. (Yes I'm one of those people.)