World’s Best Bratwurst - The Prep

I’m not too picky when it comes to Bratwurst. Hillshire Farms and Johnsonville deliver a fine mass-produced product. It’s a quick and easy grilled tube steak, much more better than a simple hot dog.

A few packs of these fell into my lap last weekend. These are special. This represents the Holy Grail of bratwurst. I am not worthy.


These are Miesfeld’s Grand Champion Bratwursts. To make a comparison, these brats to Johnsonville are like grocery store steaks to Allen Brothers prime.

The bro was in Koehler Wisco on a holiday trip a few weeks ago. He does that every year. On his return trip he stops at Miesfeld’s Market in Sheboygan to load up the cooler with the best brats on earth.

To the folks at the Wisco State Fair, Miesfeld’s Brats are the best, winning the brat cook-off each year, hence the name “Grand Champion Bratwurst”. The only thing missing would be a personal endorsement from Bret Farve, Brat Starr or Ann Althouse. How about Dan From Madison? Hey Dan, can I get an amen?

These tubes end up as silky, juicy cylinders of tenderness. The spice is perfect and they snap when bit allowing juice to run down your chin in orgasmic gastronomic delight. The texture is smooth with no hint of fat chunks or bone. There are notes of sage with a clean finish but well-balanced with a perfect blend of splendid mild spicyness.

Heh.

Brats can be tossed on the grill and eaten just like hot dogs. That’s for lazy folks who do not appreciate a gourmet brat. It is fine in a pinch but I prefer to enhance my encased meat.

Most important when grilling the best brats is the prep. Here is a trick I learned from a Sheboygan Wisco dude who hipped me into the secret of a well-grilled brat. If you disagree I want to hear about it.

First, melt 1 stick of butter in a skillet


Add a few thick slabs from a huge yellow onion and allow them to sweat in the butter with the help of salt and pepper. Sautee for about fifteen minutes, these onion slabs should be really thick, more than ¼ “.


Deglaze the skillet with two 12 oz cans of beer, bring to a near boil and then pour everything into a pot and heat. Add the brats and allow to simmer for about fifteen minutes but not long enough to fully cook.

DO NOT BOIL!!!


Bring your grill to 500 degrees or better and place brats on to the hot grate. If using a gas grill turn off the center burner and arrange brats in the middle.


Note: On a charcoal grill pile hot coals in the middle and make a circle of brats along the outer edge, away from the direct heat.

Turn down the outer gas burners to low. Cover and wait five minutes.

Turn brats and wait another five.

Add brats to pot with onions, butter and beer.

Apply brats to the bun of your choice and toss on a few onions too. Add coarse mustard or, in my case, some spicy BBQ sauce too.