Wisconsin Beer Bratwurst for Father's Day
The Great Bratwurst Cloud story and Grandpa John's grilling tradition: beer-simmered brats with corn and cucumber salad
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In honor of Father’s Day, I’m celebrating the grill masters in our family…grandpa John Baker, great-uncle Fred Carnes, great-uncle Uncle Harold ‘Pete’ Allen, my dad James Blair, uncle Eric Baker, and cousin Doug Nelson. These are the men who love to light a fire, throw food on the grill, drink a beer, and hang with the boys.
It seems no matter how you try to make their day lazy or luxurious, all they want is to grill. So let them throw a brat on the ‘barbie’ and cook you dinner on Father’s Day—it brings them so much joy! Speaking of grilling, that brings me to a question: what exactly is Bratwurst?
What is Bratwurst? Is it German?
Bratwurst is a German sausage, though there are rumors that it dates back to the Celts. Brats have been around since the 14th century. In Old High German, “Brat” means without waste, and “wurst” means “sausage. Brats arrived in the Midwest with my German immigrant ancestors. In Germany, Brats are typically made with pork and are traditionally eaten with sauerkraut and potato salad. Our Midwest tradition is to boil the brats in beer and serve them in a soft roll with mustard and onions.
The Story of the Bratwurst Cloud
During one of our summer gatherings at Crystal Lake in Wisconsin, Grandpa John was grilling up some hamburgers and bratwurst for the family. Doug was chosen to help Grandpa with the grilling. So, at the ripe old age of 9, he stayed behind from a swim in the lake to cook with Grandpa.
The grill was up and running, and the burgers and brats were cooking away when Doug suddenly noticed he was surrounded by what seemed to be a forest fire. The entire cottage, surrounding trees, and mountains had disappeared behind a thick layer of smoke.
Grandpa, in his trademark straightforward manner, called out, “Get the water, boy, and put it on the fire.”
Brats can release a great deal of grease while cooking. Which is what happened here. The Brats had created a grease fire. To restore order, add a small amount of water.
Young Doug did what he was told. He picked up a gallon-sized jug of water and poured it on the grill. They were then instantaneously covered in charcoal and dust. Grandpa lost his cool. Doug ran.
We went ahead and ate the charcoal-dusted brats and burgers for dinner. It made for an unforgettable meal!
Doug grew up to be a master griller, hosting tailgates and parties for friends and family.
German Bratwurst, PBR, Corn on the Cob & Cucumber Salad
When boiling the brats in beer, I use whatever beer I have on hand. Lager is the best choice, but any beer will do. When I want to make it special, I choose a Wisconsin-brewed beer. When I was young, my cousin Rob Roy created a pyramid of PBR cans along the length of his bedroom wall. I thought it was so cool. Social media didn’t exist then, and we rarely carried cameras, so it lives in my memory and makes me smile.
Serves 5
Kitchen Tools
Cast Iron Grill or Outdoor Grill
Ingredients
Corn on the Cob (5)
Salt
Vegetable Oil
Johnsonville Original Brats (package of 5)
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Original (minimum 50 oz.)
Onions, White or Yellow
Sourdough Rolls or Hoagie Rolls (5)
Dijon or Course Grain Mustard
Butter
Pepper
Instructions
Fill two-thirds of a stockpot with water, add a tablespoon of kosher salt, and cover. Heat on high until the water is boiling. Add the corn, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the kernels are soft.
Heat 1-2 tbsp oil on the grill over medium-high. Sear brats 3-4 minutes per side until browned. Remove with tongs.
Pour 50 oz of beer into a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the brats 15-20 minutes.
Chop onions. Prep rolls by warming or using at room temperature. Make cucumber salad.
Assemble brats in rolls, top with onions and mustard. Serve with corn, cucumber salad, and cold beer. Add butter, salt, or pepper to the corn if desired.
What a great story about Dad and Doug They always had a special relationship
Enjoyed the look back at family and fun
Thank you