Smoked Brats
Smoked Brats
with Beer Butter Bath & Creamy Mustard Sauce
with Beer Butter Bath & Creamy Mustard Sauce
8 quality bratwursts
Aldi's 8-packs are shockingly good!
1 white onion, sliced
6–8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1-2 German Beers (16-32 oz)
Pilsner = clean, crisp traditional
Wheat = soft, sweet backdrop
Amber lager = more malt-forward richness
Avoid IPAs as they’ll get bitter in reduction
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
Remaining beer butter bath (strained if preferred)
2–3 tbsp whole grain or Dijon mustard
2 tbsp heavy cream or sour cream
Optional: splash of beer to loosen, if needed
Extra grainy mustard for garnish
Reserved onions and garlic from butter bath
Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add sliced onions, cook until softened and translucent.
Smush garlic cloves with the side of a knife.
Toss into pot, sauté briefly (~1 minute) until fragrant.
Season with salt & pepper.
Add butter and beer.
Stir to combine.
Add bratwursts to the pot.
Simmer gently. Aim for a lazy boil, not rapid.
Cook until internal temp reaches 170°F.
Brats will appear pale, plump, slightly fleshy, but the aroma will be outrageous.
Remove pot from heat, let cool until brats are below 100°F.
Optional: Refrigerate overnight. Liquid may solidify. That’s fine.
Place cooled brats directly on smoker grates.
Smoke until exterior develops golden-brown color and light char.
Estimated time: ~30–45 minutes—focus on color and casing firmness.
When properly smoked, casing should develop noticeable resistance with a satisfying snap when bitten. The juicy interior should remain intact.
During the smoking stage, reserve onions and garlic from the butter bath.
Cook in a cast iron skillet on smoker or stovetop over medium heat.
Caramelize until browned, sweet, and softened. This is ideal for topping brats. I personally like mine crispy!
Strain butter bath liquid for a smoother sauce (optional).
Simmer liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat, reduce volume by ~25% to concentrate flavors.
Lower heat, whisk in mustard and heavy cream or sour cream.
Stir gently, do not boil after dairy is added. Simply warm through and adjust consistency with extra beer if needed.
Flavor: Smooth, rich, tangy with underlying buttery beer sweetness. This should be a perfect complement to smoky brats.
Top smoked brats with caramelized onions and garlic from butter bath.
Serve with grainy mustard and optional creamy mustard butter sauce.
Ideal with pretzel buns, kraut, or roasted potatoes.