Store Brats

chargriller

chargriller

Full Fledged Farker
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Location
Sioux...
Hello All,

I would like to smoke some brats but do not have the equipment at home to make them so I was just going to buy some store brats.

Can they be smoked?

What do you want to internal temp to be?

How long do they take?

Thanks for any help.
 
Thanks Bill,

What temp do you get them to, like 160 or 170 range?

I might have to load up the smoker and throw some on for lunch some time with chicken.
 
Sacrafice one for the team.

Cut in half and see if its done.

If yes, eat

If not, call the dog.

Not kidding. I have never done the temp thingy with sausage of any kind, including fatty.

You hold your temps up, they'll be fine. If they are a bit lower temps, another half hour to an hour might be needed.
 
Can't go wrong with Johnsonville, IMO. Bill's got it right: just cook 'em till they're done. I usually check the temps on fatties, but not other sausage. If you've got the ability, you might roll 'em around on top of the fire for a couple minutes after they're smoked to char 'em up a little-- that's how I like them.
 
Yup same as Bill and Q,if i'm in a hurry i smoke them as long as possible then finish on the grill.Johnsonville Beerbrats are my favorite.
 
I smoke johnsonville a lot. Coolest part of the chamber. Couple hours maybe. Then either to the hottest part or throw on the grill. They come out excellent. I have done big batches and don't finish them, then freeze or throw in the fridge for the week to finish off on the grill.
 
Uzingers makes awesome brats. Our Sam's Club here in KC carries them. I thought they were better than Johnsonville. They come 24 to a pack. If you decide to temp them, 160 is done if cooking over a hot fire (they will rise a few degrees), 165 if you are smoking them.
 
Heres how I do it... not completely conventionally smoked, but sure are good.

I'm a big fan of Johnsonville. Like them better than the ones we get at the German deli or butcher shop.

Slice 2-3-4 large vidalia onions. Put them in a deep pan or pot that will fit in the hottest part of your chamber(in a horizontal, right next to the firebox). In the bandera, I used the Waterpan lined with a couple layers of foil. I also will start the onions in a pot on a stove to soften them slightly, just till the sweat. Anyway.....

Put the onions in the pan, a few whole cloves of garlic, add your brats and a few cans of beer, enough to cover the brats plus some extra. (I also preheat the beer a little, just so its not cold. This is the purpose of schafer:twisted: ). Add some Franks Red hot to taste, a few shakes of worschestire sauce. I also throw in bay leaf or 2. Let them simmer in the beer and onions in the chamber for a while. When your ready for one, just take it out of the beer and put it next to the pan in the hot spot, or on the grill for a minute. Then serve with some of that smoked beer and onion soup spooned on top. Good chit. I serve it open faced on Artisian Bread.

During parties, I will keep replenishing the beer and onions as I use them. When all is done, I'll put the remaining soup in the fridge. The fat will rise to the top and harden so u can remove it all the next day. What remains is the best onion soup u ever had.
 
Yes to Uzingers as well

A great Milwaukee Brat.

Wasn't aware they were nationwide.

Thanks Rod
 
BBQchef33 said:
Heres how I do it... not completely conventionally smoked, but sure are good.

I'm a big fan of Johnsonville. Like them better than the ones we get at the German deli or butcher shop.

Slice 2-3-4 large vidalia onions. Put them in a deep pan or pot that will fit in the hottest part of your chamber(in a horizontal, right next to the firebox). In the bandera, I used the Waterpan lined with a couple layers of foil. I also will start the onions in a pot on a stove to soften them slightly, just till the sweat. Anyway.....

Put the onions in the pan, a few whole cloves of garlic, add your brats and a few cans of beer, enough to cover the brats plus some extra. (I also preheat the beer a little, just so its not cold. This is the purpose of schafer:twisted: ). Add some Franks Red hot to taste, a few shakes of worschestire sauce. I also throw in bay leaf or 2. Let them simmer in the beer and onions in the chamber for a while. When your ready for one, just take it out of the beer and put it next to the pan in the hot spot, or on the grill for a minute. Then serve with some of that smoked beer and onion soup spooned on top. Good chit. I serve it open faced on Artisian Bread.

During parties, I will keep replenishing the beer and onions as I use them. When all is done, I'll put the remaining soup in the fridge. The fat will rise to the top and harden so u can remove it all the next day. What remains is the best onion soup u ever had.
Click to expand...

Dang, that sound so good right now. Looks like I'm stopping at the store...
 
willkat98 said:
Yes to Uzingers as well

A great Milwaukee Brat.

Wasn't aware they were nationwide.

Thanks Rod
Click to expand...

Don't think they are. AT least not down here in God's country
 
I cook mine in beer and onions similar to what Phil does. Then a quick roll on a hot grill to crisp them up. Usinger's are great, but buy Johnsonville! They are a customer of ours and if you guys all buy more Johsonville products, they can my more videoconferencing systems, and I can buy more Johsonville products! See how that works? :-D
 
Ron_L said:
They are a customer of ours and if you guys all buy more Johsonville products, they can my more videoconferencing systems, and I can buy more Johsonville products! See how that works? :grin:
Click to expand...

The circle of life
 
Be careful and watch them close while they are in the smoker. I once tried to smoke some while cooking off a brisket and let them go too long. They turned out looking like something General Buford (the basset hound) fished out of the cat litter box. They still tasted OK but not like your typical brat. The also had a slight crunch to them. Kind of like a crisp fried bacon crunch. However, they looked a whole lot better in General Buford's mouth than in mine. The brisket I fixed on the shelf below turned out great. It was constantly basted with all the brat juice. In fact I have considered stacking sliced brats on top of brisket or pork roasts to add a little extra flavor and juice. When it is done the brats will probably be pretty well consumed and I will chop up the leavin's for the General.
 
Phil's got it right. You have to put them in a beer bath. I lived in Germany for a couple years, and experienced first hand how true brats are cooked. I never smoke mine...as that's not technically the correct way. Grill and flavored beer bath. You won't find a better brat.....GUARANTEE!!!! Use Johnsonville brats..they are the best you can get stateside. Good luck, bro!
 
i told this storie once before and i will tell it again. i smoked five johnsonvilles once. the skin formed a kind of a barrier to the smoke and prevented it from getting into the meat. it did not seem natural. at the time there was a post reply that said you need to poke holes in the skin before cooking a johnsonville, but to fully get the smoke on the meat, i would squeeze it from the skin, form a fatty, and cook accordingly.
 
I'm not big on the beer bath thing.

Inlaws insisted on it one time. Used some sort of heavy lager or something.

Thing tasted like shiit. Boiled lager meat.

So, like my sauce, I take my beer on the side, where it belongs :razz:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

LYU370
Brats n Taters
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
cowgirl
cowgirl
ModelMaker
Brefas sausage FAILURE!!!!
Replies
4
Views
214
BGEChicago
BGEChicago
G
Fresh Ham cook
Replies
8
Views
371
Learning to BBQ
Learning to BBQ
Maylar
Tasteless berries?
Replies
16
Views
797
Maylar
Maylar
B
Best way to roast a small turkey in oven?
Replies
9
Views
731
jimstocks53
J
Back
Top