Name: Butter Beer Brats
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter; 1 sweet yellow onion (sliced); 5 brats; 12 ounces beer; 5 hoagie rolls

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Butter Beer Brats are the perfect addition to your next cookout, tailgate or barbecue. This is hands down the best way to cook brats! Savory, buttery, moist and full of flavor! And the best part...no grill is needed!

Overhead view of finished butter beer brats in buns on a plate

If you have a cookout, tailgate or barbecue coming up, and are tired of the same old hamburgers and hot dogs, try out these Butter Beer Brats. It's nice to change things up once in a while.

And if you live in any of those places that's cold and snowy, the best part is, no grill is needed! These are cooked entirely on the stove, with no shortage in flavor!

What are brats?

Also known as bratwurst, brats are a type of sausage originating from Germany, and most commonly made from pork. Beef and veal can sometimes be added.

Interestingly, they're commonly consumed for breakfast in Germany. Here in the United States, we like them for our tailgates and cookouts.

Bigger than a hot dog, but about the same size as a kielbasa (though not as long!), they are typically eaten the same as a hot dog. On a bun. With lots of yummy toppings!

Two butter beer brats in buns on a plate

How to cook bratwurst

This really is the best way to cook brats. Sauteeing onions until soft in butter and then cooking in the butter beer mixture...the end result is amazing.

If I'm short on time and cooking these for a quick weeknight dinner, I'll cook them in the beer mixture for the 15 minutes shown in this recipe. If I have extra time, or I'm making them on a weekend, I'll sometimes add another beer and let them cook on low for an hour or so.

Make sure to keep the heat to medium at the highest. You don't want to boil them. Boiling brats seems to make them tough and dry. Low and slow is the best way to go!

You can also throw them in the slow cooker after sautéing the onions, and let them cook on low (with the extra beer added) for a couple of hours. This is good to do if you have company coming and want to make them ahead of time.

A good to know tip: Make sure to not prick holes in the sausages, as this will let out a lot of the moisture, which can make them dry. Not good!

Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat and add the onions. Sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the brats.
Cook until brats are nicely browned on both sides. They'll be browned, but not fully cooked.
Add the beer, cover and cook for a minimum of 15 minutes. If you want to cook longer to deepen the flavor, add one more beer, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 1-2 hours. Check every 15-20 minutes to make sure the heat is not too high and the liquid is not evaporated.
Ready to eat!

What type of beer should I use?

Honestly, this is totally up to you and what type of flavor you want to add. I've tried all kinds and it always turns out great. I normally use whatever I have on hand in the refrigerator.

I do love beer, but if you're not a huge beer lover, I would stick with a light lager type beer. If you want to go bold on the flavor try a darker, heavier beer.

What can I serve on the side?

For toppings, I like to serve deli style mustard, which has a bit of horseradish in it. I also serve the cooked onions as a topping. Sauerkraut, relish, diced onions, yellow mustard, ketchup, cheese sauce are also all great options.

Side dishes that would go great with these brats would be a potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, or my Loaded Baked Cauliflower Mash.

📋 Recipe

Butter Beer Brats

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 524kcal

Author: Teri

Cost: $10

Ingredients

Instructions

Heat a saute pan on medium heat. Melt butter and add onions. Saute 2-3 minutes until they start to get soft.
Add the brats and cook until they are nicely browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. If more time is needed to brown the brats, this is ok. You do want them to have a nice color, and this is the only chance you have to get that.
After the brats are browned, add the beer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Serve on warmed or toasted hoagie rolls.

Notes

For a lighter flavor, use a lager type beer. If you want a more bold flavor, go for a darker, heavier beer.

The brats can also be cooked longer on low heat for a deeper flavor. Add another beer if you plan to cook for an hour or more. Check every 15-20 minutes to ensure the liquid has not evaporated and brats are still mostly covered.

Brats can also be cooked in the slow cooker after sautéing the onions. Add two beers and cook on low for a couple of hours.

Topping ideas: deli or yellow mustard, sauerkraut, cheese sauce, ketchup, sauteed onions, diced onions, relish.

Nutrition

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