Grilled Bratwurst With Beer, Mustard, and Sauerkraut Recipe

Make perfect grilled bratwurst by simmering them in a flavorful sauerkraut bath first.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated May 24, 2019

Why It Works

  • Poaching the sausages in a flavorful mixture of beer, sauerkraut, and mustard cooks them through from edge to edge.
  • Simmering the sausages in a pan set directly on the grill helps to imbue them with smoky flavor as they cook.
  • Finishing the sausages on the hot side of the grill gets their exteriors nicely crisp and charred.

The key to perfectly cooked pork bratwurst on the grill is to start them in a flavorful bath of sauerkraut, beer, and mustard. Slowly simmer the sausages so they're infused with flavor and cook evenly, then finish them off on the hot side to crisp and char.

20170418-cooking-sausage-hot-dog-3.jpg
Photograph and video: J. Kenji López-Alt

Recipe Details

Grilled Bratwurst With Beer, Mustard, and Sauerkraut Recipe

Cook 60 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces (350ml) beer (almost any beer will do)

  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) whole grain mustard

  • 1 (1-pound; 450g) package sauerkraut, with juices

  • 6 thyme sprigs or 3 bay leaves (optional)

  • 2 pounds (900g) bratwurst sausages

  • Buns and mustard, for serving

Directions

  1. Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate.

  2. Combine beer, mustard, and sauerkraut in a 10-inch square-disposable aluminum pan. (Alternatively, construct a tray out of a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, 10 inches square, with sides about 2 inches high.) Stir until mustard is broken up and mixture is homogeneous. Add thyme sprigs or bay leaves (if using). Nestle sausages into sauerkraut.

  3. Place tray on hot side of grill and cook until simmering, about 4 minutes. Slide to cooler side of grill. Cover grill, with vents over bratwurst. Cook with all vents open until bratwurst register 140 to 145°F (60 to 63°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes, turning once in the middle.

  4. Remove lid. Using tongs, remove bratwurst from sauerkraut and place directly on cooking grate over hot side of grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until well browned and crisp, about 3 minutes total. Return to sauerkraut. Toast buns over hot side of grill, if desired. Serve bratwurst with buns, mustard, and sauerkraut from pan.

Special equipment

Grill, 10-inch square disposable aluminum pan, instant-read thermometer

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
958Calories
68gFat
43gCarbs
38gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories958
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 68g88%
Saturated Fat 23g116%
Cholesterol 167mg56%
Sodium 2689mg117%
Total Carbohydrate 43g16%
Dietary Fiber 3g12%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 9mg46%
Calcium 198mg15%
Iron 4mg24%
Potassium 982mg21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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