Welcome to Sunday Supper and the dog days of summer. Friends have arrived, the music has been turned up, the beer is cold, the cocktails are whirling in the blender, and the grill is fired up. To avoid the stifling Florida heat, we are moving our weekly eating festival indoors where the a/c and ceiling fans are humming.
This is one of my husband’s favorites for a summer grilling dish that serves a crowd. The bratwurst is simmered in dark beer, and infused with warm spices like mustard, coriander, ginger, and caraway. Placed on the grill till crisp and golden brown, it will get your guests to sit-up and take notice.
The grilled bratwursts are served up with a quick homemade red sauerkraut, grilled onions and a spicy brown coarse mustard.
We are submitting this summer favorite to the Battle of the Sandwich hosted by Chez What? at alittlebitofchristo.blogspot.com.
Beer-Simmered Grilled Bratwurst with Onions and Red Sauerkraut
Serves 6 can be doubled easily to serve 10 or 12
Recipe from Bobby Flay
For the Sauerkraut:
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 large head red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine the vinegar, water, and sugar in a large saucepan (not aluminum or cast-iron), bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the cabbage is soft, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (the sauerkraut can be made up to 2 days in advance, cooled, covered and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and drain before serving.)
For the Bratwurst:
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 pounds bratwurst, pricked with a fork
6 (12-ounce) bottles of dark beer
2 cups water
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
Hot dog buns, hoagie buns, or bratwurst buns
Various mustards ( spicy brown, sweet-hot, and coarse-grain)
Directions:
1. Arrange the onion slices on the bottom of the medium stockpot. Place the bratwurst on top and add the beer, water, coriander, caraway, mustard seeds, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
2. When ready to serve, heat your grill to high
3. Lift the sausages out of the pot. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl. Discard the remaining liquid and aromatics.
4. Grill the sausages until crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. If you like grill the buns until lightly toasted. Serve the bratwurst on the buns with sauerkraut, onions and mustard.
Enjoy!
Big Dude
Looks delicious and worthy of an entry.
Angie's Recipes
Looks very delicious, especially these red cabbage slaw!
Heather S-G
That sounds BEYOND amazing!! I can almost taste it from here (I wish)!!! Drooooool :P\”\”\”\”\”\”\”
Jen_from_NJ
I will be trying this one! Looks delicious!
Recipe for Delicious
Now THAT is a sausage. Wow.
Lea Ann
Love this. Especially that red sauerkraut, that would be good on anything! I'm a red cabbage fan.
Susi's Kochen und Backen
Considering I grew up in Germany I'm very familiar with both of these dishes. I've never had them together on a bun though. I'm going to have to keep this in mind the next time we are having Bratwurst.
Katerina
I've been to germany many times and tried these wonderful sausages. Your combination looks irresistible.
subhashini
lovely sausage
Pam
It looks delicious! We're having brats tonight and I make mine similar but not with the sauerkraut. My hubby won't go the sauerkraut route but, I love it and know it would be great with the brats!
Unknown
that looks real good Velva
Chris
That's the perfect way to cook brats. Great job on the sauerkraut, the color rocks.
Faith
I've been dying for a sausage and kraut sandwich! Thanks for posting this, I'm definitely making it this week!
Ana Powell
Really delicious. Great post.Wishing you a great Sunday ♥
Julie
Beautiful photos! Bratwurst are the best for grilling. We have a wonderful meat market in town that has all sorts of flavored brats. They are so delicious.
Sharon Rudd
Superb entry, Velva! Being from the old German city of Cincinnati, I was just talking to Team Eggplant member about possibly going down the bratwurst path for our entry for the Sandwich Smackdown (if we do, we'll opt for a different take). Your recipe looks like perfect summer fare. Great job, and stay cool.eggy
ThatJewCanCook
Forget getting my guests to sit up and take notice, I am sitting up and taking notice!!! Great job Velva.Between this and the lamb chops I don't know which to make first!–Andy
TKW
Make this for my daddy and he'd offer to marry you! This would make any good German happy!
Julie
Oh man, that's a sandwich I'd love to sink my teeth into!
teresa
oh wow, my mouth is watering just looking at that, excellent!
Carol
Your brats look perfect!
From the Kitchen
Oh dear, I should have waited until tomorrow to look at your brat and red sauerkraut! I feel the need to raid the refrigerator. Best,Bonnie
Unknown
I am so jealous… you are always on your deck cooking feasts and mixing drinks… when can I come over?
Jayanthy Kumaran
Gorgeous dish dear…lovely click…!
We Are Not Martha
I love how pretty the red sauerkraut is!! This makes me want to go outside and learn how to use my apt. building's grill… at 9:00 a.m. :)Sues
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types
These photos just make my mouth water! Why limit Oktoberfest to one month?
Unknown
I bet that taste amazing. I almost went into a food coma looking at it. Beautiful.*kisses* HH
Kim
I've always wanted to try beer simmered sausages! This looks amazing and you get bonus points from me because it's a Bobby Flay recipe 😉
The JR
Yum – looks fantastic. Sounds like fun!!!
Rita
OMG, doesn't everyone just love a good bratwurst? and yours looks great!
RamblingTart
Fantastic!!! Oh Velva, I've been craving brats something fierce and just last night was perusing recipes for sauerkraut and sausages. Yours look amazing. 🙂
Lorraine
That is one fantastic looking sandwich! Brats in beer on a bun with mustard sounds sooo good:)
Tina
I am a fan of sauerkraut but it absolutely kills my husband's stomach!
Hungry Dog
Looks delicious. I am especially entranced by that red cabbage–it's a natural fit with sausage…
Chef E
This looks great! Although from afar- it will be a while before I cook things like this, but I am also entranced by the red cabbage! Great combo…
Eliana
The perfect summer savory treat 🙂
Chef Fresco
Yum! Now that is a great looking sammie!
The Absence of Alternatives
Beer… hmmm…
Federica Simoni
la foto è talmente bella che mi mangerei lo schermo!!ciao!
Vickie
This looks amazing – I can almost smell the brats with that great description!
Salsa Verde
Delicious and great combination of flavours!Cheers,Lia.
Mimi
Looks pretty tasty to me.Mimi
Miss Meat and Potatoes
You know it's funny – I'm starting to crave these hearty 'fall' type of recipes too (even though I'm sure this also makes quite an iconic summer dish.) Better be careful what I wish for though as I know I'll cry when summer's actually over!This looks and sounds like a delightful one from Mr. Flay. All those lovely intense flavors. And beer! To die for.Thanks for sharing Miss Velva. Another excellent post!
Betsy Banks Adams
Hi Velva, What a neat German meal…. I love Bratwurst –and I love kraut. Yum—this post makes me hungry.We have Oktoberfest here—-and we love to go and get the good German food and also hear the Oom Pah Pah band!!! Wonderful…Thanks for sharing.Hugs,Betsy
Anette
Hi! Hope you will visit my blog to see the theme of the Culinary Smackdown September 2010! Do you take the challenge again?