Homemade Brats Recipes

HOMEMADE BRATWURST

Steps:

• Cut the pork and beef into 2 inch cubes.
• Grind through a 1/4 inch grinding plate.
• If you do not have a meat grinder you can pulse it in your food processor in SMALL batches.
• In a small mixing bowl beat eggs and beer together until well blended.
• Add dry ingredients.
• In a large mixing bow combine the ground meat and wet mixture until well incorporated.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours, up to 24.
• The longer the better.
• At this point you can either stuff into casings or wrap in 1 pound packages which is what I do, then freeze.

HOMEMADE GERMAN BRATWURST

Steps:

• Combine the pork, fat and crushed ice in a bowl and then, working quickly, use a meat grinder to grind the mixture through a 1/4 inch (6mm) die. Preferably grind the meat mixture into a bowl set atop an ice bath to keep the meat cold. Grind half of the ground mixture a second time. Note: It is imperative that the meat be at a constant cold temperature so that the fat doesn't get too soft. You should be able to see clear definition between the lean meat the specks of fat in the ground mixture.Chill the meat in the refrigerator while you assemble the spice mixture.
• In a small bowl combine all the spices.Remove the ground meat from the fridge and place it on the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the spice mix and dry milk powder.Mix the meat mixture with the paddle for 3-4 minutes until threads begin to appear in the meat: If you take a clump of meat and pull it apart with your fingers you will see tiny threads pulling apart. When you see this your meat is ready. *If the meat mixture is too dry and stiff, add a little ice water. You want a soft/smooth mixture that will easily go into the casings.*This is also the time to taste your sausage mixture so you can adjust the seasonings if needed. To do this, take a bit of the meat mixture, fry it up in a pan, taste it and adjust the seasonings if needed.Place the meat mixture back in the refrigerator while you prepare the casings.
• Thread your sausage stuffer with the prepared hog casings, fill the sausage stuffer with the meat mixture, and stuff the casings being careful to avoid air gaps while also being careful to not over-stuff the casings.Twist the sausages into links. Use a sausage pricker to prick any air bubbles out of the links.For best results chill the sausages overnight.
• To prepare the bratwursts, gently poach them in lightly salted water (place sausages in pot of water, gradually bring liquid to a light simmer/do NOT boil, and poach sausages until partially cooked, 3-4 minutes) and then fry or grill them. Once poached they will keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to a week.You can either freeze the Bratwursts raw prior to poaching (then thaw, poach, fry/grill) or freeze them once they're poached.
• This yields roughly 10 bratwursts depending on the size and diameter.

HOMEMADE BRATS

Steps:

• Freeze pork, veal, and fat until slightly frozen -- about 1 hour.
• Grind meats using the 1/8" plate. Add seasonings and milk. Mix thoroughly by hand, kneading and squeezing mixture to distribute ingredients evenly, or use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, pausing occasionally to clear paddle.
• Fry a small patty, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare 1+ meter of hog casings according to directions on the package. Tip: After thoroughly rinsing the inside of the casing with water, slip one end over the sausage stuffing horn and run a little bit of water into the casing through the horn, then you can easily slip the entire casing onto the horn.

BRATWURST RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. Before making sausage, please familiarize yourself with best practices as described in our article on The Science Of Sausage Making.
• Slice the meat and fat into cubes removing gristle and sinew. Place it on a plate or pan in the freezer, along with the grinder parts that will contact the meat. Leave it there for about 20 minutes until it is firm but do not let it freeze. This makes grinding easier.
• Grind it with a 1/4" die. Mix in the other ingredients. To get the right classic brat texture, transfer the mix to a food processor and pulse till smoothly emulsified.
• Pinch off a small piece of the sausage and cook it in a frying pan let it cool and taste to see if the seasoning is to your taste. Brats are almost always served as links, but if you wish, nobody will arrest you if you form it into patties, meatballs, or skinless tubes. At least not outside of Wisconsin.
• Cook. You can then grill or smoke it, or store it in the fridge for about 5 days or in the freezer for about a month.

BBQ BRATS

Steps:

• Grill bratwursts, covered, on an oiled rack over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 10 minutes, turning frequently. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker., In a large bowl, mix the beer, ketchup and barbecue sauce; pour over the bratwursts. Cook, covered, on low until cooked through, 3-4 hours. Place bratwursts on buns. Serve with mustard and, if desired, cooking liquid.