Beer Brats

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8 Servings

When I was growing up in Wisconsin, it wasn’t a tailgate unless there were beer brats. Sure, there were often burgers and salads, but the brats? That’s what made it a Wisconsin tailgate. It didn’t even matter what sport you were going to see. The point was to flip open the trunk, set up some folding chairs, and eat picnic-style food off of paper plates on our laps in a parking lot full of other people doing the same thing. It was really a community experience.

Ingredients

2 large yellow or Spanish onions
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
8 links raw bratwurst sausage (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
2 (11 to 12-ounce) bottles light lager or pilsner beer, such as Stella Artois
8 potato, hard, or pretzel hot dog rolls, split
Spicy German mustard or other favorite condiments, for serving

Instructions

Halve and thinly slice 2 large yellow onions (about 7 1/2 cups).
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to soften and brown, about 4 minutes.
Add 2 (11 to 12-ounce) bottles light beer and stir to combine. Nestle 8 links raw bratwurst into the onion and beer mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the brats are just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Oil the grill pan lightly with a paper towel dipped into vegetable oil. Using tongs, transfer the brats to the grill pan in a single layer. Cook until deeply browned all over, about 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, using tongs, add about half of the onions to the grill pan as well to char slightly. (If your grill pan is not large enough, brown the brats first and then cook the onions.)
Return the brats and the onions to the beer mixture. Cover and let simmer over low heat for at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. Taste the onions and liquid and season with kosher salt as needed. To serve, spread a split hot dog roll with spicy mustard or your favorite condiment. Place a brat in the bun and top with a generous amount of the onions.