Grilling is the best way to make brats and sausages in my opinion. I’m going to show you how to grill bratwurst that turns out really awesome. This method will work whether you are grilling up brats, or any other sausages. Grilling bratwurst adds a nice smoky flavor, and also melts out the fat and crisps up the outer casing.
People a lot of times have problems with grilling up brats, hot dogs, and other sausages. There is the issue of flare-ups from the dripping fat, but also there is the problem with the split casings. The steam builds up within the casing which eventually leads to the bratwurst exploding. Also there is the issue of cooking the sausages all the way through without having the burnt up outside casing. We are going to solve all of those issues.
First set up your grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. You can use a gas or charcoal grill for grilling up your bratwurst or sausages. Direct grilling basically means we are going to cook right over the heat source. Next we are going to get our brats ready.
To combat the issue of exploding casings we are going to pierce the casings on all the brats. So, take a pin or another clean, sharp pointy object and prick the brat casings in several places. This will help the steam to release so we don’t have those split casings anymore.
What I like to do next is partially cook my brats in beer prior to grilling them. What I do is add the brats to a cast iron skillet or an aluminum pan, and add a can or two of beer to cover the brats. I also add in 1 onion that is thinly sliced. By simmering your bratwurst in beer you cut down your grilling time and also add in some great flavor. You will want to simmer the brats for about 5 minutes or until they are half cooked. If you want, you can simmer them on a stove top as well, but I just do it on the grill.
Once the brats are done simmering, place them on the grill. Make sure you do not over crowd the grill, because this is when flare-ups tend to happen. Grill the bratwurst for about 4 to 6 minutes per side until the casings are browned and crisp. Once done, transfer them to a plate and let them rest for 3 minutes before serving.
The nice thing about simmering your brats in beer and onions is that you can guarantee that they will be completely cooked when you are done. You don’t have to worry about having the burnt, overcooked outside casing with an undercooked inside. However you do not have to simmer them, there are a couple other options.
You can just cook them direct without simmering them. It will take about 8 to 10 minutes per side to do it that way. Make sure you piece the casings and keep your eye on them for flare-ups and overcooking. Another foolproof method besides simmering them in beer would be to grill them indirect. Basically you are going to grill them on the opposite side of the heat. Grilling them this way will take about 30 minutes with a medium-high heat.
This is how to grill bratwurst that turn out really good. Like I said above I prefer to simmer mine in beer and onions because it adds a lot more flavor and helps to guarantee that they get cooked perfectly. I prefer to use a cast iron skillet to simmer mine. I use cast iron all the time, it is heavy-duty and will last a lifetime. Here is the cast iron set that I use all the time.
image courtesy of Funky Tee/flickr