Smoked Beer Brats Recipe | Beer-Braised Onions on the Kettle

Original project: I originally created and demonstrated this recipe for SnS Grills on the Slow 'N Sear Kettle. You can see the original SnS Grills recipe page.

Brats and beer are already a natural pair, but this method adds another layer by smoking the sausages first and letting onions slowly cook underneath in butter, garlic and beer. The result is a simple backyard meal with plenty of flavor and almost no complicated prep.

Ingredients

• 5 fresh bratwurst
• 4 to 6 large onions, sliced
• About 1 quart of your favorite beer
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 to 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
• Olive oil, enough to lightly coat the onions
• Fresh rolls or bread for serving

Prepare the Onions

Add the sliced onions to a foil pan. Season with salt, pepper and garlic, then toss with just enough olive oil to coat. Add the butter and enough beer to create a flavorful braising liquid without completely drowning the onions.

Set Up the Grill

Set up a kettle grill for two-zone cooking. Keep the onion pan on the indirect side so it can slowly soften while the brats pick up smoke and color nearby.

Smoke and Finish the Brats

1. Place the brats on the indirect side of the grill and let them cook gently while the onions begin to soften.
2. Stir the onions occasionally so the beer, butter and seasoning stay evenly distributed.
3. Once the brats are nearly cooked through, move them briefly over direct heat to brown and crisp the casings.
4. Return the browned brats to the onion pan for a short finish so they absorb some of the beer-and-onion flavor.
5. Serve on fresh rolls with a generous pile of the onions.

Tips for Better Beer Brats

• Use fresh brats. They stay juicier and take smoke well.
• Do not boil the sausages. Gentle heat gives you better texture.
• Brown at the end. Direct heat is best used as a finishing step so the casing gets color without splitting.
• Choose a beer you actually like. Its flavor becomes part of the onion mixture.

This is one of those recipes that works for a family dinner, football Sunday or a backyard get-together without turning the cook into an all-day project.

BBQ for the everyday family.