Ingredients

  • 8 bratwursts (I like Johnsonville, but any brand will work)
  • 8 hot dog buns (I like to get bakery style if possible)
  • 1 green pepper, thin sliced in strips
  • 1 red pepper, thin sliced in strips
  • 1 yellow pepper, thin sliced in strips
  • 1 large onion, cut in half and thin sliced
  • 24 ounces dark beer, I prefer amber bock but use your favorite (2 bottles, 18 oz for the brats and vegetables and 6 oz for the sauerkraut)
  • 3 garlic cloves, just smashed and skins removed no reason to cut
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can quality sauerkraut, drained well (you can also use a fresh bagged brand too)
  • 8 tablespoons pepper relish (many quality store brands, I love it on burgers, dogs, brats, just about anything)
  • Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • aluminum foil and tins for cooking the brats and sauerkraut

Method

  • Vegetables and Brats -- In a aluminum pan add the beer, peppers, onions and brats. Also add the red peppers, garlic and cover with foil and let simmer on medium/low heat on the grill for about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and cook 10 more minutes, then transfer the brats to the grill as you finish cooking the peppers. Without the foil on season with salt and pepper and let some of the liquid reduce. The brats lightly brown on the grill.
  • Sauerkraut -- Also when you put the vegetables and brats in the aluminum tin also add the sauerkraut to a smaller aluminum pan along with the remaining 6 oz of beer, cover with foil and set on the grill on indirect heat. You just want to heat it up is all. About 15 minutes. Right at the end of cooking, uncover and let some of the liquid evaporate.
  • Buns -- Remove the cooked brats and put back on top of the vegetables and recover also remove the sauerkraut. and keep covered. Now grill the buns lightly.
  • Dinner -- Now add a little dijon mustard to the bun, 1 tablespoon of the pepper relish, the brat, some of the peppers and onions and top with the kraut. Now that is a classic bratwurst.