Beer braised bratwurst and sauerkraut

Bratwurst, a german sausage perfect for a backyard BBQ, served with a delicious topping of sauerkraut.  I simmered by sausage and sauerkraut in hard apple cider.  Oh, and my sauerkraut was homemade, after three weeks of fermentation, it still had some crunch.  In the winter, I serve my bratwurst on a bed of sauerkraut, with mashed potatoes.  A great opportunity to use homemade beer mustard.

And, in the summer, grill these beautiful sausages.

To serve four


INGREDIENTS

  56 gr      butter (56 g)
  4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
 53 g        packed light or dark brown sugar
  1/2 tsp   caraway seeds, or more to taste
  Freshly ground black pepper
  Eight (142-to 170-g) bratwursts (or other fresh sausages), pricked with a fork in several places
  Two (355-ml) bottles beer, or more as needed
  237 gr   sauerkraut, undrained
  Mustard, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a Dutch oven or largish pot, place on a corner of the grill or on the stovetop over medium heat. butter and garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t brown.

Add the brown sugar, caraway seeds, and some pepper and then add the brats and enough beer so that everything is swimming. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the sauerkraut and its liquid and gently simmer until the brats are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Let the brats remain in the cooking liquid until you’re ready to brown them.

Use tongs to retrieve the brats from the liquid. Carefully roast the sausages in a separate pan until slightly browned on the outside, about 10 minutes.

Immediately serve the brats, on a bed of drained sauerkraut with a side of mashed potatoes and a healthy dollop of mustard.