Ale-Braised Bratwurst and Sauerkraut is hands-down a H2FaL favorite dish.
And when fall is upon us, there is nothing better than this pure comfort German dish. Every layer of flavor adds to the depth of deliciousness here.
Mmmmmmm…so comforting!
HOW TO MAKE ALE-BRAISED BRATWURST AND SAUERKRAUT
This amazing dish is so packed with flavor and is not difficult to make at all.
Watch us show you how easy it is to make this incredible ale-braised bratwurst and sauerkraut!
We love picking up some good German brats from our butcher and either starting them off on the grill or in our Dutch oven.
You just want to brown them a little to lock in the flavor, and then those juicy brats will finish cooking in the sauce.
Brat-alicious! And if you think this looks amazing, you’ll probably flip for our: Beer-Braised Kielbasa with Peppers, Pennsylvania Dutch Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, or for something really different for fall, how about our Pumpkin Gnocchi and Shrimp!
GERMAN ALE MATCHES PERFECTLY WITH THE BRATS & KRAUT
Of course, what would ale-braised bratwurst be without ale? Not very good!
Pick yourself up a good German ale. You’ll need one bottle for the dish, and the rest for YOU!
Beeeeeeeeeer!!
And of course, homemade sauerkraut would be awesome in this dish, but you can certainly find quality pre-made sauerkraut at well-stocked supermarkets and gourmet food markets.
The sauerkraut adds just enough flavor and texture to put the dish over the top.
Even if you think you don’t like sauerkraut, after you try it in this ale-braised bratwurst with sauerkraut recipe, you may just change your mind.
This classic comfort food dish is wonderful anytime of the year, but our favorite time is in the fall, just as the temperatures are dropping outside.
And, just in time for Oktoberfest! Another German favorite is our German Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy.
Let there be not doubt, this incredible dish is wunderbar!!
Ale-Braised Bratwurst and Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb fresh bratwurst uncooked
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 12 fl oz. German ale
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 3 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups good qaulity sauerkraut drained
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat , or a large heavy skillet.
- Add the brats, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes (doesn't need to be cooked completely through...they will finish cooking while braising). Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven (or large sturdy pot), over medium eat, warm the olive oil.
- Add the onion and saute until tender and golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring for another minute.
- Whisk in the ale and cider until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.
- Add the thyme and stock, whisking to blend, and bring to a simmer.
- Return the sausages to the pot and cover.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Uncover, add the sauerkraut, and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the sausages and sauce among serving bowls and serve at once.
Hello! I am cooking this for a heritage pot luck we’re having at work (bring something from your ancestry) but I want to cook it in the slow-cooker. Should I add the sauerkraut at the beginning or wait until closer to the end of the cooking time?
Hi Julia! Sounds like an awesome pot luck!! This is a great choice. If you can, we would suggest adding the sauerkraut towards the end of cooking. If you put it in at the beginning, by the time you serve it, it would almost have cooked down so much that it would no longer feel like sauerkraut. If you can just keep it in the fridge, and then add it in about 30 minutes before serving, you should be golden. Let us know how it turns out!! Good luck and have fun!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Amazingly delicious recipe! The only things I changed was I browned the sausages in the same dutch oven as I was going to cook the rest of the ingredients in (which I deglazed with some of the ale) and added a small peeled and diced apple to the onions when i was sauteing them. Turned out incredible! My hubby had two giant platefulls. For sides, I just warmed up some red cabbage and had some good store bought potato salad. A great meal on a chilly, rainy evening! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Hi Laura!! Wow, that all sounds so wonderful!! This is such a heart-warming dish and your presentation sounds incredible. Thanks so much for letting us know!! Please stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
LoVeD this recipe! To be honest, you had me with beer and sauerkraut…but when I saw the beer label in your photo (Leinenkugels) I was ALL in. Chippewa Falls, Wi is my home town and the home of Leinenkugels brewery. I can’t think of anything better than beer, bratwurst and sauerkraut. Thank-you for Sharing this post!
Hi Carol!! We just love this dish, too. You are so right…nothing much better than beer, bratwurst and sauerkraut!! And we love Leinenkugels!! So awesome!! Please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
Very tasty. Followed the recipe exactly. I served it with mashed potatoes but I’ll use my dad’s spaetzle recipe for a side the next time. Thank you!
Thank you, Patti!! Oh yes…homemade spaetzle with this ale-braised bratwurst would be amazing! We LOVE making homemade spaetzle, too. Let us know how it turns out! Thanks again so much for letting us know about your success with the recipe, that means so much to us. All the best, Kris & Wesley
It is a fabulous recipe and the first time I had brats! My only change was Sam Adams October Fest, since that’s what I had. I am going to make it with pork chops and the spaetzle recipe….just received my spaetzle maker! Just love all the tasty recipes I make from How to Feed a Loon. Thank you
Judy, that sounds amazing! Sam Adams Octoberfest is wonderful! Please let us know how the spaetzle maker works for you! We love it and hope you do, too! Thank you for reaching out to us. Please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
What would you suggest for a non-alcoholic version? Subbing cider of chicken broth for the beer? Thanks!
For a non-alcoholic version, would you suggest cider or chicken stock sub in lieu of beer?
I used apple juice in lieu of apple cider. It was awesome. I added a few cloves of garlic with the sautéed onions (I add garlic to everything except desert) and some par boiled, mealy potatoes. Loved it!
Hi Vince! Sorry for the delayed response here (we’ve been out of town for a bit), but thank you so much for letting us know how it turned out…sounds so good. And we love the addition of garlic! This is one of our favorite dishes and we are so glad you enjoyed it, too! Thanks again, and please do stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
Made this today and it was so, so good! I forgot to get apple cider at the store, so used what I had, applesauce! Still turned out wonderfully!
Sounds amazing! Oh…how we LOVE this dish! So glad you improvised with such huge success. Way to go!!! Stay in touch, Lisa, and thank you for letting us know what you thought. All the best, xoxoxo…Kris & Wesley