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I grilled brats for the first time a couple weeks ago. Failed miserably. First they weren't done and then they were burnt. ON the back of the package, it said you should boil them for 30 minutes before grilling, but that this isn't cool for die-hard grillers. What gives?
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your fire was too hot
par-boiling them in beer with onions for about 10 minutes before grilling adds some flavor and moisture
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Second the fire too hot motion. Grilling should be no different than pan-fryng, you just need to lower the heat. Brats are pretty thick, so you need a lower heat to allow the insides to cook before the outside chars. Flipping often will help, but lowering the heat will help it not be the grill equivelant of sauteing (constant motion).
Hmm, I just consulted the little cooking booklet that came with my first Weber (the best grilling/smoking booklet I have ever seen, BTW) and it says this:
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BRATWURST AND BEER
USE INDIRECT METHOD (coals on the side, not directly underneath)
Place pan for beer in the center of cooking grill, pour beer into pan. Brown bratwurst over coals on the sides (direct heat). Use tongs to turn, watch closely until lightly browned. Place brats in beer, cover kettle and cook for 25 minutes.
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Sounds like a winner to me. I would suggest tossing some hickory on the coals before covering to get a good smokey taste.
Please, don't boil first. God kills a kitten every time you do that. Think of the kittens.
Smoke on!
- Lorne -
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From the guys at Dittmers sausage-haus... they advise parboiling their fresh sausages (brats/etc) first in beer, then grilling:
Bring a bottle or two of good german brew (such as Spaten Oktoberfest, etc) to a boil. Submerge brats, place lid on pan, and turn off heat. Ten minutes later, remove to grill, to get nice & crunchy on the outside. -
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As a former Wisconsin guy, I've cooked many brats. I know people who simmer brats in beer for hours, adding 1/2 a beer every hour. A trick I learned is par grilling them, put them back in the beer/onion/pepper/kraut/boot solution, then finishing them on the grill for a couple minutes. And, in my opinion they are best when they are a bit black.
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Are you familiar with Indirect Grilling? When dealing with brats the best way to achieve maximum flavor is to cook them indrectly (depending on temp) for about 30 minutes or more. Your experience level will determine this. The skin on the outside acts as a sealant and allows the juices internally to boil and keep them extremely moist. Boiling any meat prodcut prior to grilling can reduce flavor. After you have cooked them indirectly, put them over the flame for a nice grill mark on the outside, maybe 2-3 minutes each side. They are ready to serve. When you take a bite, the skin should make a nice popping sound and the inside should be loaded with juice. Make sure you let them cool briefly so you don't blister the roof of your mouth.
