If you're wondering how long to boil brats before grilling or pan frying them, our post will tell you everything you need to know, plus we're sharing our beer boiled brats recipe. It's a Whole Lotta Yum!
Why cook boiled brats?
First things first, when we're talking about boiling brats, we really mean we're going to be simmering or steaming them on the stove. You wouldn't want to actually cook them at a hard boil.
Boiling bratwurst before you put them on the grill or pan-fry them in a skillet is super common, it's not required, and some purists cook them straight on the grill and skip over the step. it often comes down to personal preference!
Cooking sausages in water is typically considered par-boiled, which means they're partially cooked and then you finish cooking them with a different cooking method.
We're pretty serious about sausage in our home since my husband's family is German! All types of varieties are in our weekly dinner rotation! We also love to bake them, cook them in an Instant Pot, make chicken sausage, or air fry them.
- It adds depth flavor to the sausages by cooking brats in beer or other liquids
- Simmering helps to keep the bratwurst juicy by sealing in moisture and flavor
- Pre-cooking in liquid will help prevent cracks
- Have you ever cut into a sausage and it's partially raw? Boiling them beforehand prevents that
- Personal preference!
Ingredient notes
Our recipe tells you how to make one small batch, but feel free to double or triple the sausages! Bratwurst are always delicious when serving a crowd.
- 1 lb of bratwurst (typically 4-5 brats per pack)
- 2 (12 ounce) bottles of beer
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 large onion, sliced
Getting fresh bratwurst from the butcher is the best way to go, but as far as pre-packaged brands we love a local brand called Hempler's, or Johnsonville brats or Costco are good as far as national brands go.
Tools
- A cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven
- Tongs
How to boil brats
Step 1: In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, add the raw sausage, 1 sliced onion, the beer (enough to cover the sausage), and ½ of a stick of butter cut into cubes.
Step 2: Bring the beer to a slow boil, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer the sausages for 10 minutes. They'll be par-boiled at this point, meaning partially (but mostly) cooked. They'll finish cooking with the next step.
Step 3: Remove the bratwurst from the liquid and grill them on a preheated grill for 10-14 minutes until browned to your liking.
You can also pan fry them in a skillet with a little oil for 3 minutes on each side. The internal temperature should be at least 160F.
Important note
Please do not prick the bratwurst with a fork before or after cooking. This is an outdated step still circulating on the internet that just causes the sausages to use valuable juices, loss of flavor, and moisture.
For an authentic German meal, serve the sausages with a side of warm German potato salad, sauerkraut, stone ground mustard, and a pint of beer.
Can I make these without beer?
If you don't want to cook the sausages in beer, here are a few alternatives. And if you choose a different liquid, it won't change the cooking time for the recipe.
- Alcohol-free beer is a great choice if you like the flavor of beer but don't want to use alcohol
- Chicken broth or Beef broth - the most common alternative if you don't want to use beer
- Using apple juice adds a touch of extra sweetness
- Water of course!
Can you boil frozen sausages?
Is it time to start cooking and you realized that you never took the bratwurst out of the freezer? Don't fret, you can still boil frozen bratwurst and have them turn out delicious.
You'll just want to add 5+ minutes to the cooking time of the recipe, so the bratwurst will take about 15-20 minutes to cook in the liquid.
Why boil brats before grilling?
- To infuse the beer flavor into the meat
- Some say parboiling first prevents them from splitting on the grill
- It ensures that the meat will be cooked through instead of potentially being pink on the inside
Many bratwurst purists will claim boiling brats before grilling isn't even necessary. It's all a personal preference, in my opinion, so whether you grill raw brats or boil them first, I suggest you experiment with both techniques and answer that question for yourself.
While the ideal cooking temperature of bratwurst is 160F, brats are forgiving and if they end up accidentally being 170-180F, don't worry, they'll still taste delicious!
After grilling, you can serve them with the onion and beer mixture they were simmered in, or you can serve them on a hoagie roll.
More bratwurst recipes
Recipe
Beer Boiled Brats Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb of bratwurst typically 4-5 brats per pack
- 2 12 oz bottles of beer
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 large onion sliced
Instructions
- In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, add the raw bratwurst, 1 sliced onion, the beer (enough to cover the sausage), and ½ of a stick of butter cut into cubes.
- Bring the water to a slow boil, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer the brats for 10 minutes. They should be mostly cooked (aka par-boiled) and will finish cooking when you grill or pan cook them.
- Remove the bratwurst from the liquid and either grill them on a preheated grill for 10-14 minutes until browned. Or you can pan fry them in a skillet with a little oil or butter for 3 minutes on each side. Add the onions back to the pan also if you're pan-frying them to serve with the sausages.
Notes
- Never prick the bratwurst before cooking them, you lose flavor and moisture
- Swap the beer for broth or water if you don't like beer or can't have it
- Michelob Light is a good option if you're on a low carb diet
- You can easily double or triple the recipe if you're serving a group, you might need to increase the liquid.
Tony says
I want to do brats in beer one day and grill them the next. Can I do this? I would keep the in the fridge and then cook them on the grill.
Is that OK?
next day griller says
Yes