Biergarten Beer-Braised Bratwurst with Apple Sauerkraut
A festive, crowd-pleasing German centerpiece featuring juicy, seared bratwursts slow-simmered in German lager atop a rich bed of caramelized onions, tender sauerkraut, and tart apples. Perfect for easy self-serve party entertaining.
Ingredients
- •24 piece Traditional German bratwurst sausages (raw or precooked pork or veal bratwurst)
- •4 tbsp Unsalted butter
- •4 piece Yellow onions (large, thinly sliced)
- •48 oz German Pilsner or Märzen lager (4 standard 12-oz bottles)
- •4 lb Sauerkraut (rinsed lightly and well-drained)
- •3 piece Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and finely diced)
- •1.5 tbsp Caraway seeds (lightly crushed)
- •3 tbsp Brown sugar
- •0.25 cup German whole-grain mustard
- •4 piece Dried bay leaves
- •2 tbsp Vegetable oil (for browning sausages)
- •to taste to taste Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- •0.5 cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Set out two large roasting pans or deep catering-size baking pans.
Time: 5 min - 2.
In a very large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, translucent, and beginning to caramelize.
Time: 10 min - 3.
Stir in the drained sauerkraut, diced apples, caraway seeds, brown sugar, German mustard, bay leaves, and a generous pinch of cracked black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring well to combine the flavors.
Time: 5 min - 4.
Pour in all 4 bottles of German beer and bring the mixture to a brisk simmer. Divide the simmering sauerkraut and beer mixture evenly between your two large roasting pans.
Time: 5 min - 5.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (working in batches) or on a preheated outdoor grill. Sear the bratwursts for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned with grill marks (they do not need to be cooked through yet).
Time: 10 min - 6.
Nestle the browned bratwursts into the sauerkraut and beer beds in the roasting pans. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake in the oven until the sausages are cooked through and the kraut is tender and sweet.
Time: 30 min - 7.
Carefully remove the foil, discard the bay leaves, and sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the top before serving straight from the roasting pans or transferring to warming chafing dishes.
Time: 2 min
Tips
- 💡Party Holding Tip: This dish can be transferred directly into two large slow cookers or chafing dishes set to 'warm' so guests can serve themselves throughout the event.
- 💡Pairing suggestion: Serve with warm crusty German pretzels (Laugengebäck), a trio of mustards (sweet Bavarian, medium-hot, and whole grain), and German potato salad.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Anonymous Creator