Growing up spending summers on a Wisconsin lake, brats were a lunch and dinner staple, usually in various flavors with cheese or cranberries from Louie’s Finer Meats. So, nothing says summer like brats on the grill, served in a big ol’ brat bun (no measly hotdog buns here) with a generous slice of watermelon and a spoonful of potato salad. When we decided to recreate this summer tradition in Germany, I recalled another Wisconsin tradition: beer-boiled brats (which, I’m sure, has German roots). Being in the land of beer, it was a match made in heaven, so I grabbed some of my favorite German Helles beers and got the grill going.

While this method does involve more planning than simply throwing brats on the grill, it really is worth it, both for the beer flavor and the braised onions you can serve them with. You could try different beers, but think about the flavor and how it will come through with your brats. The longer they marinate in beer, the more beer flavor you will get and because of that, we preferred a milder tasting beer.

Beer-Boiled Bratwursts

Plan ahead so you can get the most flavorful brats with a long marinating time. You can boil the brats on the grill or on your stovetop. Serve with toasted buns, mustard, sauerkraut and the beer-braised onions.

Serves: 4

Start to finish: 13 to 25 hours (depending on how long you marinate the brats)

1 pound bratwurst

1 large yellow onion, sliced

24 ounces beer such as Helles or Pilsner

Twelve hours (or more) before grilling your brats, place the brats and onion in a large bowl and pour the beer over to cover. Gently mix, cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

Approximately one hour before grilling, transfer the brats, beer and onions to a 12-inch cast iron skillet (with a lid) or a Dutch oven. Depending on how you want to finish your brats, prepare your grill or your grill pan on the stovetop. Cover and bring the brats to a boil and continue to boil for 10 to 12 minutes, until they reach 145°F.

Once they are boiled, transfer the brats to the pre-heated grill or grill pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side and until charred. Transfer to a plate to rest and cool slightly before serving. Feel free to toast your buns for a couple minutes per side.

This recipe was adapted from Plays Well With Butter