This Beer Brats recipe cooks on the grill in one pan from start to finish. Grilled bratwurst with tangy sauerkraut piled on toasted buns are the perfect choice for tailgating and backyard barbecues!

More game day favorites are my easy Philly Cheesesteak recipe and Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches.

Just before Father’s Day this year, my husband honed in on some fresh bratwurst from a local meat vendor at a farmers’ market. Needless to say, we took them home with us. As far as my husband of German heritage is concerned, you can’t do much better on Father’s Day than Beer Brats with sauerkraut.

If you’ve cooked beer brats any other way, you’re going to love this method.

I came across this fabulous method from the great Kenji Lopez of Serious Eats. These brats are so spot-on perfect for a game day gathering and with football season upon us, you need to give them a try!

• Bratwurst – When making beer brats, you want to use uncooked, fresh bratwurst. We buy ours from a vendor at our local farmers market but major brands like Johnsonville are available at most grocery stores.
• Beer – For traditional Wisconsin-style brats, go with a German-style pilsner or lager. However, you can make Beer Brats with pretty much any type of beer. Anything from cheap American beer (think Miller, Coors, Bud, etc.) to darker ales and stouts, like Guinness, can be used.
• Sauerkraut – I recommend using fresh sauerkraut vs. jarred or canned. I use a classic caraway seed kraut that I buy at my local grocery store. You should be able to find it with other packaged products in a refrigerated case in the produce section.
• For the rest – A little stone ground mustard, a few bay leaves, and sprigs of fresh thyme are added to the beer bath for more flavor.
• For serving – Hot dog buns, ketchup, and mustard.

1. Combine the beer, the sauerkraut with any liquids from the package, and mustard in a lasagna-size disposable aluminum pan.
2. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
3. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves (see variations below).
4. Nestle the sausages into the sauerkraut.

You can add additional beer at this point, if it will fit in your container without splashing out when you transport it to the grill. With this size pan, I find that 12 ounces of beer is enough to infuse the brats and sauerkraut with flavor while it’s still easy to carry.

Prepare the Gas Grill: Set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat the grill for 10 minutes.

1. Simmer: Place the tray on the hot side of the grill and cook until the beer comes to a low simmer (a few bubbles), about 4 minutes.
2. Cook: Then, slide the pan to the cooler side of the grill. Cover the grill and cook with open vents for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once after the first 10 minutes. Using an instant read meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the bratwurst after 18 minutes of total cooking time and remove from the heat once they register 140 to 145 degrees F.

1. Sear: Open the grill cover and using tongs, lift the bratwurst from the sauerkraut and place them directly on the oiled cooking grate over the hot side of the grill. Cook the brats, turning occasionally, until well browned and crisp, and they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
2. Serve: Return the bratwurst to the pan with the sauerkraut and beer for serving.

Prepare the Charcoal Grill: Light a chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour it out and arrange most of the coals on one side of the charcoal grate with a much smaller amount of coals on the other side. Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and allow it to preheat for about 5 minutes.

Cook and Serve: Follow the directions to cook the brats as described in the gas grill method above. If you’re using a round charcoal grill, there won’t be enough space for the aluminum pan while you’re searing the sausage. Just pull the pan off the grill , set it aside, and cover it loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil to keep the sauerkraut warm.

Maybe it’s snowing outside and you want beer brats for the big game. No problem!

1. Stovetop: Place the sauerkraut mixture with the beer and brats in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove. If cooking on the stove, I recommend adding enough beer to cover the brats. Bring the beer to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for the initial cooking time.
2. Oven: Then, finish them on a baking sheet in your oven set to broil or on a stovetop grill pan.

Soak Overnight: To infuse the brats with even more beer flavor, prep them the night before, cover the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate them overnight.

Use tongs: Avoid piercing the brats with a fork while grilling. This prevents flavorful juices from escaping, keeping the sausages moist and tasty.

Don’t overcook: Use a meat thermometer and cook to 160 degrees F. This ensures they are cooked through but will be perfectly juicy.

Toasted buns: To To prevent soggy buns, briefly toast the empty rolls with open side down on the grill. Or for indoor cooking, place the buns under the broiler for a couple of minutes before serving.

Toppings: Offer a variety of condiments like mustard, ketchup, relish, and chopped onions to allow everyone to personalize their bratwurst.

• Spicy Baked Beans
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• Broccoli Salad
• Crispy Oven Baked Fries

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Print Beer Brats Recipe

This Beer Brats recipe cooks on the grill in one pan from start to finish. Grilled bratwurst with tangy sauerkraut piled on toasted buns are the perfect choice for tailgating and backyard barbecues!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 530kcal

Author Valerie Brunmeier

Equipment

• instant read meat thermometer
• disposable aluminum lasagna-size pan

Ingredients

• 12 ounces beer
• 1 pound package sauerkraut with juice (I used classic caraway kraut)
• 3 tablespoons whole grain or stone ground mustard
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme optional
• 3 dried bay leaves optional
• 2 pounds raw bratwurst sausages 8 sausages

For Serving

• 8 hot dog buns
• ketchup, mustard, relish, and chopped onions optional and as needed

Instructions

To Prepare a Charcoal Grill

• Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange most of the coals on one side of the charcoal grate with a much smaller amount of coals on the other side. Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and allow it to preheat for about 5 minutes. Oil the..