Conventionally, some of the known best ways to cook bratwurst have been involving the use of a grill. What about when you don’t have a grill?
Have you ever stopped to think how to cook bratwurst using a stove or any other heat source?
How do you cook bratwurst without a grill and still come up with outstanding outcomes? Pan frying is the first thing that will come to your mind when the grill is removed.
Don’t mistake me; even oven roasting works on bratwurst, but when you expect to get the same unique flavors, the same appetizing browning and caramelization, using the stove with the pan works best.
At the same time, the stove and pan method might end up taking a shorter time than other techniques; that is when the grill is not in the equation.
When you have that craving a bratwurst in the grilling off-season, you don’t need to suffer or even overpay to get it in a restaurant.
If you have a stove, a pan, and some bratwurst, you’re just a skillet away from the best tasty, juicy brat. There are several skills involved in pan frying bratwurst. Some recipes are discussed below.
Method 1: Cooking with a liquid
The best way to cook bratwurst on the stove is to cook them with liquid all the way through before frying them in oil to crisp up the outsides.
Cooking bratwurst is basically a two-step procedure: simmering them until fully cooked, then browning them in hot fat.
Regardless of the liquid; the taste of the cooking liquid has little or even no effect on the final taste of the bratwurst.
Other than the few small holes which let steam escape, there is no inlet to allow the cooking liquid enter the brat casing. It does not essentially mean there are no benefits from cooking bratwursts in a flavorful liquid.
Flavorful liquid creates a solid base for a sauce. The method prevents the brats from burning on the outside while they are still raw and uncooked on the inside.
- Open the wrapping on the bratwurst and drain any of the juices that may be outside them
- Place them in a skillet. Make sure each sausage is in contact the bottom of your pan.
- Pour 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil over the top of the bratwurst to ensure they crisp up after they have simmered.
- Add a liquid; beer or water until the liquid has covered the bottom half of all the bratwursts.
- Turn on the stove heat to a medium-high.
- Heat the liquid in the pan to a fast bubble, but not to a full boil; a full boil will easily break and split the bratwurst casing and make the bratwursts to lose their natural juice.
- Reduce the heat from the stove to medium once the liquid starts simmering.
- Cook the brats with the pan uncovered until the liquid has evaporated completely, leaving a residue of the oil you added at the start.
- Using the same pan, cook the brats until their outside is turned brown.
- Add an extra one teaspoon of oil if the pan is drying and the bratwursts start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Now cook a bit longer over a higher stove heat if you want to blacken the bratwursts.
- Using a food thermometer, confirm the internal temperature of the bratwurst to make sure they have been cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
For this process you will need the following that is apart from the stove and the pan
- A Food Thermometer
- A Skillet
- Tongs
- Beer (optional)
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
Method 2: Braised Bratwursts
Braising does not have any effect on the tenderness of bratwurst.
Ground loose meat, like hamburger or one that is packed in a bratwurst-like casing, does not have pieces of connective tissue big enough to make the final results tough to chew.
Braising, however, builds a very superior sauce that can be used with the bratwurst for a delicious crisp bite.
- Sauté the bratwurst with little oil or butter in a heavy pan on the stove until the casing crisps and browns.
- Put the brats aside and sauté 1 to 2 cups of mirepoix until it is brown and caramelized.
- Deglaze the pan with a beer or even wine and pour in a few cups of stock.
- Add in black peppercorns, a bay leaf and a handful of freshly chopped herbs and set the stove heat to low.
- Put back the bratwursts in the pan and add other secondary ingredients, like mushrooms, tomatoes, and pepper.
- Cover the pan tightly and cook the bratwursts for about ten to fifteen minutes until they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the brats and bubble the braising liquid until it evaporates to form a moderately thick sauce.
- Season the thick sauce to taste and serve it on the bratwurst.
Method 3: Bratwurst with Sauerkraut
Bratwurst and sauerkraut illustrate rustikale Gerichte, or a country-style German meal. As a loose preparation, there are many variations on this classic meal, therefore, for an authentic taste and feel, choose any region of Germany and insert its flavors into the classic dish.
For instance, you can Nordhessische Bratwurst and sauerkraut that is flavored with apples, riesling, and bacon a classic flavor in the Pfalz region of East Germany.
If you select flavors from the Bavaria region, you can do a frankische bratwurst, and kraut sautéed with spicy mustard, cider vinegar, and shredded potatoes.
For a bratwurst-and-sauerkraut dish prepared in the style of Pfalz;
- Sear a few bratwurst pounds in a sauté pan and put them aside.
- Cook chopped bacon and one to two cups of sliced onions in a casserole at a low stove heat waiting until the bacon is fully cooked.
- Put about 1/2 cup of Riesling, juniper berries, several bay leafs, allspice, and black peppercorns into the casserole.
- Also, add to the casserole. About two pounds of sauerkraut that are not drained and a large chopped apple
- Heat up the sauerkraut for at least 30 minutes; then add the bratwurst. Cook again for an additional a 20 minutes.
- Serve the meal with whole-grain mustard.
You can try another recipe here.
Method 4: Currywurst
Currywurst can be said to be more of a cooking institution in Germany, at least for a fast food restaurant, or Schnell-Imbisse type.
But one striking feature of this meal is its simplicity. All you need is Bratwurst, ketchup, and curry spices. And it is the curry, which defines the Currywurst.
- Open the bratwurst wrapping and drain the juices
- Place them in a skillet in contact the bottom of your pan.
- Pour 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil over the top of the bratwurst to ensure they crisp up after they have simmered.
- Add a liquid until it has covered the bottom half of all the bratwursts.
- Turn on the stove heat to a medium-high.
- Heat the liquid in the pan to a fast bubble, but not to a full boil; a full boil will easily break and split the bratwurst casing and make the bratwursts to lose their natural juice.
- Reduce the heat from the stove to medium once the liquid starts simmering.
- Cook the brats with the pan uncovered leaving a residue of the oil you added at the start.
- Using the same pan, cook the brats until their outside is turned brown.
- Sauté mustard seeds and onions in vegetable oil until they turn brown.
- Add in one part (1 tablespoon) of curry powder and a small pinch each of nutmeg, anise seeds, and white pepper.
- Cook the Currywurst sauce over low heat.
- Put the sauce over the brats and serve
Method 5: Boiled Bratwurst
Boiling is the least used method of cooking your bratwurst. But believe me or not, it is also a friendly way of cooking your tasty Brats on a stove.
- Put water and the bratwurst in a deep pan. Ensure that your pan is deep enough so that the brats are fully covered in water. Try not to let the bratwursts overlap to give them more for better cooking. Alternately, you can put in the deep pan half water and half beer for added flavor.
- Boil the bratwurst for 20 minutes. Turn your stove to medium-high heat and allow the water to heat up to a boil. Once the used liquid is at a boil, turn the heat down so that it does not destroy the bratwurst. For a better result, boil the sausage at a slower, gentler boil. In case you are using pre-cooked bratwurst, you just need them to heat up, rather than ensuring they are cooked through as you would do with raw bratwurst.
- Throw them on a grill for complete cooking if desired. Grilling the bratwursts will crisp them off and give them a pleasant flavor. Using a pair of tongs, place them on the grill and grill them for five to10 minutes, spinning them over at least once to make sure they are cooked on both sides. Once they are browned from the grill, and they are ready to serve.
- Check the internal temperature. Using your meat thermometer, confirm the inside temperature of the bratwurst and check to make sure the bratwursts are about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Conversely, you can first grill your brats for five to ten minutes on each side, and boil them later. If you do this second process, you should boil them for about twenty minutes immediately after grilling
