Reuben Brats Recipes

SLOW-COOKED REUBEN BRATS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown bratwurst in batches; drain. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine beer, sliced onion and sauerkraut; add bratwurst. Cook, covered, on low 7-9 hours or until sausages are cooked through., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, chili sauce, ketchup, chopped onion, relish, garlic and pepper until blended. Spread over cut sides of buns; top with cheese, bratwurst and sauerkraut mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

REUBEN BRATS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, heat beer to boiling. Add bratwurst, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Drain bratwurst. Place on medium heated charcoal or gas grill. Cover grill and cook 5 to 10 minutes, turning once until brown.
• Spread dressing on cut sides of buns. Place bratwurst in buns, top with cheese and sauerkraut.
• Set oven control to broil. Place bratwurst on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat.

PRETZEL BUN REUBEN SAUSAGE SANDWICH WITH GERMAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• For the potato salad: Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, season with salt and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot.
• While the potatoes are cooking, add the bacon to a medium skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from the skillet. Add the onions and garlic to the bacon fat and cook for a few minutes. Add the mustard and coriander seeds and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the apples and cook for 3 more minutes. Sprinkle in the brown sugar, add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cider vinegar and grainy mustard, and then slowly whisk in the canola oil.
• Add the onion-apple mixture and the vinaigrette to the hot pot of drained potatoes. Set aside until cool to allow the potatoes to absorb all the flavors.
• Season the potato salad with salt and pepper, then add the crisp bacon and the celery and parsley. Toss well.
• For the sausage: In a large bowl, combine the pork shoulder, short rib, fatback, parsley, salt, red wine vinegar, sugar, celery seed, granulated garlic, granulated onion, nutmeg, caraway, coriander, dry mustard, paprika, black pepper and some salt. Run the mixture through a meat grinder fitted with the die with the largest holes (see Cook's Note). Repeat so that all of the meat goes through the grinder twice. Mix in the Swiss cheese and up to 1/4 cup cold water as needed.
• Attach the sausage-stuffing attachment to the meat grinder, keeping the grinder blade and die in place. Place a generous amount of the prepared sausage mixture in the grinder pan. Give the casings a slight bit of resistance by holding onto the sausage stuffer with your last three fingers and letting the casing slip through your thumb and forefinger. Turn the machine on and fill the casings, being careful to avoid any air bubbles.
• Twist the casings to create 5-inch sausages that are even in size. Tie each sausage with butcher's twine to keep them nicely sealed. Prick the sausages all over with a pin or skewer to vent steam during cooking.
• Place the sausage links in boiling water and parboil for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the sausages in half lengthwise and saute until browned in a preheated saute pan slicked with olive oil.
• For the thousand island sauce: Combine the sour cream, ketchup, relish, Worcestershire and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to blend.
• To assemble the sandwich: Spread a pretzel bun, top and bottom, with thousand island sauce and then with brown mustard. Add sauerkraut and sausage halves to the bottom bun and cover with the bun top.

THE ULTIMATE CHEESY AND SPICY REUBEN BRATS

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat on one side and low heat on the other side.
• Prepare the brat hot tub: In a 12-by-10-inch aluminum roasting pan, combine the hard cider, butter and onions. Place on the hot side of the grill.
• Grill the brats on the cool side of the grill with the lid closed until the internal temperature of the brats reaches 160 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes per side. Transfer the brats to the brat hot tub, close the grill and simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes.
• Put the sauerkraut and caraway seeds in a small flameproof skillet and place directly on the grill until just warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add 1 cup of the 18,000 Island Dressing and toss to combine.
• For assembly: Nestle a bratwurst and a couple slices of the braised onions into each bun. Smother in warm Swiss Cheese Sauce, then top with some of the kraut mixture. Garnish with sliced chives and thin slices of Fresno pepper if using.
• In a food processor, add the mayonnaise, ketchup, jalapenos, Dijon, garlic and some salt. Puree, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Set a medium saucepan over low heat and add the evaporated milk. Toss the Swiss cheese and cornstarch together in a bowl until totally coated. Whisk the Swiss and American cheese into the saucepan and heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese is completely melted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

THE REAL REUBEN

Steps:

• Place bread on baking sheet or broiling pan. Layer corned beef, sauerkraut and cheese on top of bread slices.
• Broil on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese has melted. Serve hot with Thousand Island dressing.

REUBEN

Steps:

• Place one slice of bread on work surface and top with the corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. On the other piece of bread, spread one side with Russian dressing or spicy brown mustard. Place dressing-side down on top of Swiss cheese to form a sandwich.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the pan and place the sandwich on top of the melted butter. Cook until golden, pressing down with a spatula, about 2 minutes. Lift the sandwich from the skillet and add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter. Toast the other side of sandwich until golden and the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with pickles.

SAUSAGE REUBEN

Steps:

• Cut sausage link down the middle and grill or pan fry until crisp along the edges.
• Spread mustard on one side of both slices of bread.
• Heat sauerkraut in sauce pan, then remove and squeeze off excess juices.
• Assemble sandwich by placing one slice of cheese on first slice of bread (mustard side up), place link on next, then pile on warmed sauerkraut, finally top with second slice of cheese and second slice of bread (mustard side down).
• Wrap in aluminum foil and place in preheated oven.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is melted.
• Remove, slice diagonally and serve with dill pickle and chips.
• If you're going to make several sandwiches for a group, you can either wrap each individually (preferred) or place them in a shallow baking pan and cover the pan with foil.

GRILLED REUBEN BRATS

Steps:

• Heat gas or charcoal grill. In 2-quart saucepan, heat beer to boiling. Add bratwurst; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 15 minutes.
• Drain bratwurst. Place on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 5 to 10 minutes, turning once, until brown.
• Spread dressing on cut sides of buns. Place bratwurst in buns; top with cheese, bratwurst and sauerkraut.