Beer-Braised Bratwurst & Onions (“Beer Brats”)
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Juicy bratwurst and caramelized onions piled into rolls with grainy mustard, “beer brats” make a delicious weeknight supper or game-day dish.
Bratwurst, like Philly cheesesteaks, is a game-day favorite—each with its own regional flair. In the Upper Midwest, bratwurst is a German-style fresh link sausage, and “beer brats” are a Wisconsin specialty perfect for football season or Oktoberfest. Juicy bratwurst is simmered in beer and onions, then grilled and piled into rolls with grainy mustard and sauerkraut (or other pickled veggies). My one-skillet, weeknight version skips the grill and comes together in just 35 minutes. Cooking the bratwurst in beer adds a delicious, slightly bitter flavor that complements the savoriness of the sausage and sweetness of the caramelized onions.
What You’ll Need To Make Beer-Braised Bratwurst & Onions
- Vegetable oil – For giving the bratwurst a beautiful, golden-brown sear.
- Bratwurst – I use Johnsonville Original Brats for their classic flavor. Be sure to avoid brats already flavored with beer, as they can make the dish too bitter, and always use fresh (not pre-cooked) sausages.
- Yellow onions – These caramelize into sweet, golden perfection, adding great depth of flavor.
- Salt – Brings out the sweetness of the onions and balances the flavors.
- Lager beer – Simmering the brats in beer adds a subtle, slightly bitter flavor that complements the savory sausage. Go for a clean, crisp lager like Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, or Miller Lite—no need to get fancy! If you’d rather skip the alcohol, non-alcoholic beer or chicken broth works, too.
- Hoagie rolls or hot dog buns – Soft rolls to hold all that bratwurst goodness.
- Coarse grain mustard – A sharp, tangy hit that cuts through the richness of the sausage.
- Warm sauerkraut – Briny and crunchy, perfect for balancing the flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bratwurst and sear until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Using tongs, transfer the sausage to a plate; set aside. Add the onions and salt to the skillet.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes (do not burn; reduce the heat if necessary).
Place the bratwurst back in the pan on top of the onions.
Add the beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium, and continue cooking.
Cook until the bratwurst are cooked through and the beer is reduced by about three quarters, 10 to 12 minutes more.
Serve the bratwurst and onions on rolls with mustard and sauerkraut, if desired.
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Beer-Braised Bratwurst & Onions
Juicy bratwurst and caramelized onions piled into rolls with grainy mustard, “beer brats” make a delicious weeknight supper or game-day dish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 bratwurst (see note)
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (12 oz) bottle lager beer (see note)
For Serving (Optional)
- 6 hoagie rolls or hot dog buns
- Coarse grain mustard
- Warm sauerkraut
Instructions
- In a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bratwurst and sear until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the sausage to a plate; set aside. Add the onions and salt to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes (do not burn; reduce the heat if necessary).
- Place the bratwurst back in the pan on top of the onions, add the beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid, and simmer for 10 minutes (at this point the sausages will be partially cooked through). Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium, and continue cooking until the bratwurst are cooked through and the beer is reduced by about three quarters, 10 to 12 minutes more. Serve the bratwurst and onions on rolls with mustard and sauerkraut, if desired.
- Note: I use Johnsonville Original Brats; avoid any brats already flavored with beer, as the finished dish will taste too bitter. Also be sure to purchase fresh (not cooked) sausages.
- Note: Lager is a family of beers that includes bright lagers, amber lagers, dark lagers, Oktoberfests, and pilsners. I use Sam Adams Oktoberfest, but Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite are all good options. No need to use anything fancy!
- Note: The nutritional information does not include the optional serving ingredients.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 364
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Sodium: 723 mg
- Cholesterol: 63 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Could Knockwurst or even hot dogs be substituted in place of the brats?
Thanks!
Hi Savannah, Knockwurst should work here but I wouldn’t recommend hot dogs. 🙂
I was really hesitant to try this recipe because I’m not a huge beer fan. I was also planning on feeding this to my 6,4, & 2 year olds. Thankfully, I can trust Jenn to make an amazing meal!! It was wonderful!! My husband and kids all loved it and so did I!! It didn’t taste like brats in a beer sauce, it was so yummy and rich and delicious!! Make this, you’ll be happy you did!!
Hi Jen…could the brats be cooked ahead and reheated?
Love all you recipes!
Marcia
Sure, Marcia, I think you could get away with that.
Hi Jenn! Big fan of yours. I have fresh raw chicken sausages I am planning to make today with your macaroni salad and wanted to try cooking them in a beer braised kind of manner. Do you think I can do this with the chicken sausage?
Hi Ashlee, I think I’m weighing in too late to help, but if you haven’t already made this, chicken sausage should work here. 🙂
Made exactly as written. Great flavor balance!
Any make ahead thoughts? Would like to make and take to gathering!
So glad you liked it! I think you could get away with making it ahead if you undercooked it ever so slightly at home and then warmed it up/finished it off at your destination.
My wife, no lover of brats nor beer, gave this recipe 5 stars, two thumbs up and a rousing cheer- me too !
This was delicious! I made the recipe exactly as written and the brats were juicy and had such wonderful flavor. My hubby skipped the grainy mustard and sauerkraut (I made him try mine first and he just doesn’t like the texture) and he loved them too. I love your new cookbook Jen and we can’t wait to cook our way through it!
❤️
Made this for the Packer game today exactly as suggested. Came out perfectly delicious. Family loved it!
How can make this for twelve? Can you finish this in the oven?
Hi Mary, I would just get two pans going. Even if your second pan is a little smaller, you should be able to fit all the sausages in. I wouldn’t recommend finishing in the oven, as I don’t think the sauce will reduce enough. Hope that helps!
This looks delicious and easy! Do you have a favorite sauerkraut brand you use?
I don’t. (Honestly, I use the one brand that my store carries and I don’t even know what it’s called.) Sorry I can’t be more helpful!