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Bratwurst - to Beer, or not to Beer?

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

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Getting into Brats... some "purists" say to just go straight to grill.
"Beer is meant for drinking - not cooking."

Others say to "pre-cook" or simmer in beer with some butter and onions (maybe garlic too), then go to grill.

If you're a "simmer in beer" believer, what beer you using?

I heard IPA's get way to bitter when used in cooking.


Thoughts?
 
Beer is meant for my belly and my belly alone. If you placed two brats in front of me, one cooked with beer and one without, I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Just one man's opinion.
 
Dragonfly said:
Getting into Brats... some "purists" say to just go straight to grill.
"Beer is meant for drinking - not cooking."

Others say to "pre-cook" or simmer in beer with some butter and onions (maybe garlic too), then go to grill.

If you're a "simmer in beer" believer, what beer you using?

I heard IPA's get way to bitter when used in cooking.


Thoughts?
Click to expand...

My oldest always simmers her's in beer before grilling.

Always use cheap beer. Save the good stuff for drinking.
 
My wife is german, she used to use beer, which she can't stand the taste of as a drink.

Now she uses one of her Wood chuck hard ciders, which are very sweet.

I like my venision hot brats, she is more a Johnsonville girl. I can tell the difference between cider vs nothing.

With the venison brats I like plain and slow cooked, her store bought ones in cider and grilled on a higher flame.

Back in the early 70's German train stations had 'fast food' wagons on the platform where you got sliced up brat in a paper cone with a squirt of curry ketchup on the flap. That and a cone of pomme frites and a young soldier was eating dinner on his way to party in Sachsenhausen, just south of Frankfurt.

Since then hotdogs just don't do it, taste like bland bologna, as if bologna can be any blander.... ;)
 
There is or used to be a joint very close the the Milwaukee airport and I think it was called The Bratwurst House or Brawt House. It was a beer joint that served burgers and brawts only if I recall. They put more gilled onions on your brat or burger than anywhere in America. I was lucky enough to go there twice during my work travels. It is a cliental of repeats or people addicted to that place. It was shoulder to shoul.der with very little talking and alot of eating. Great memory.
 
Im a big fan of German Curry ketchup so I tend to smother my brats in that.
 
Dragonfly said:
Getting into Brats... some "purists" say to just go straight to grill.
"Beer is meant for drinking - not cooking."

Others say to "pre-cook" or simmer in beer with some butter and onions (maybe garlic too), then go to grill.

If you're a "simmer in beer" believer, what beer you using?

I heard IPA's get way to bitter when used in cooking.


Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I'd use a scotch ale if I were going to use beer when cooking something savory. They're malty/low bitterness.
 
Beer or not to beer - that's the question..... damn thread hijackers....;)
 
I don't have any experience cooking brats, but I would guess that cooking them in beer would wash out some of the fat, and "fat is flavor". The only advantage I see in cooking them in beer is to give them some beer flavor, a goal that could be more easily accomplished by drinking the beer which would also have the benefit of getting you drunk.
 
I don't beer me brats. I prefer them cooked in an oven slowly.
 
Fisher said:
I don't beer me brats. I prefer them cooked in an oven slowly.
Click to expand...

OVEN?????


221894443_129067568931684451_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg
 
Higgins86 said:
Im a big fan of German Curry ketchup so I tend to smother my brats in that.
Click to expand...

Being of german descent and a curry freak i have never heard of that so now I must go on line in search of the holy gail called german curry ketchup!!!!
 
notquiteright said:
My wife is german, she used to use beer, which she can't stand the taste of as a drink.

Now she uses one of her Wood chuck hard ciders, which are very sweet.

I like my venision hot brats, she is more a Johnsonville girl. I can tell the difference between cider vs nothing.

With the venison brats I like plain and slow cooked, her store bought ones in cider and grilled on a higher flame.

Back in the early 70's German train stations had 'fast food' wagons on the platform where you got sliced up brat in a paper cone with a squirt of curry ketchup on the flap. That and a cone of pomme frites and a young soldier was eating dinner on his way to party in Sachsenhausen, just south of Frankfurt.

Since then hotdogs just don't do it, taste like bland bologna, as if bologna can be any blander.... ;)
Click to expand...

I'm married to a kraut too. German women are the best! ;)
 
notquiteright said:
Back in the early 70's German train stations had 'fast food' wagons on the platform where you got sliced up brat in a paper cone with a squirt of curry ketchup on the flap. That and a cone of pomme frites and a young soldier was eating dinner on his way to party in Sachsenhausen, just south of Frankfurt.
Click to expand...

I lived on that meal while I was stationed there (Blackhorse in Neu Ulm). So good! Then for dessert they had those vending machines on the street that for a Mark you could get rum filled chocolates and the machine would actually say, "danke schoen, bitte schoen, auf wiedersehen".
 
Beer on brats is definitely wasted. I make mine on the grill - like every other respectable man. I also put a light rub on them that contains cracked pepper and Italian spices.

I consider myself an amateur griller/barbecue guy. I have rubs for everything.

Feel free to open up jokes on the last statement at will.
 
Dragonfly said:
Getting into Brats... some "purists" say to just go straight to grill.
"Beer is meant for drinking - not cooking."

Others say to "pre-cook" or simmer in beer with some butter and onions (maybe garlic too), then go to grill.

If you're a "simmer in beer" believer, what beer you using?

I heard IPA's get way to bitter when used in cooking.


Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Not beer; also not here. Germany has a brat that's like none other. Snaps and is uber tasty without soaking it in anything. Just cook it.

That crap Johnsonville sells? Soak it in anything you wish, but do not put it in your mouth, IMHO. :)
 
clownboy said:
I lived on that meal while I was stationed there (Blackhorse in Neu Ulm). So good! Then for dessert they had those vending machines on the street that for a Mark you could get rum filled chocolates and the machine would actually say, "danke schoen, bitte schoen, auf wiedersehen".
Click to expand...

3/36 Inf, 1st Bde, 3AD, Kirch Goens- rode in the old 113's.
 
Fisher said:
I am not a huge fan of curry as the featured flavor. Tones of it I can tolerate, but it doesn't rest well on my tongue if it is the dominant spice.
Click to expand...

Back in the day- 'rade squirted a blob of ketchup on the paper and then used a sprinkler for the curry, stuck a big toothpick in the brat slices and away you went. I'm not a curry fan but love curry ketchup. Heinz sold squeeze bottle curry ketchup in the grocery stores in Bochum Germany last time I visited an old shooting buddy.
 
notquiteright said:
Back in the day- 'rade squirted a blob of ketchup on the paper and then used a sprinkler for the curry, stuck a big toothpick in the brat slices and away you went. I'm not a curry fan but love curry ketchup. Heinz sold squeeze bottle curry ketchup in the grocery stores in Bochum Germany last time I visited an old shooting buddy.
Click to expand...

Yeah I am not a fan of Heinz ketchup either.
 
notquiteright said:
Then you are up that creek some mention from time to time without a paddle... ;)
Click to expand...

Yep. I think Heinz puts too much vinegar in their condiments. It ends up being the flavor I taste the most on anything with Heinz products on it.
 
Fisher said:
Yep. I think Heinz puts too much vinegar in their condiments. It ends up being the flavor I taste the most on anything with Heinz products on it.
Click to expand...

Hence the liberal use of curry... :lol:

Vinegar is one of those love it or not sort of flavors. there are folks down in the Carolinas who only use vinegar and pepper when they do smoked meats- not sure I can call it BBQ but they do.

Course a cop friend just outside Philly almost lost it when I suggested diced jalapenos as part of the basting slime for ribs. Gawd forbid we use cilantro, epazote, ancho chilis in the basting sauce. :doh
 
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