Skillet Beer Braised Brats

About This easy recipe for brats in beer sauce

Enjoying brats and beer is one of life's quintessential culinary pleasures, but brats simmered in a malty beer sauce with soft, nearly caramelized onions taste that much more delicious. 

In this post we show you how easy it is to recreate this German beer garden menu classic. You've got to try them - whether you choose to cook the beer brats on the stove top or the grill.

To Make Skillet Beer Bratwurst You Will Need

• Brats. The type of bratwurst is up to you. This recipe works with pre-cooked or uncooked brats, small or big links, very finely ground or coarser grinds, brats made with beer or cheese already in them or not, heavily spiced or less so, all pork or mixed meat, Bavarian or not, store-bought or home made. Simply choose your favorite. 

• Beer. See below.

Onions. Go with a milder type such as red or sweet onions.

Brown sugar. Just a bit, to sweeten the softened onions.

Thyme. You can use fresh or dried thyme in the beer onion sauce. A few sprigs of the fresh herb make for a very fragrant savory garnish.

• Beef stock. To add meaty umami to the beer and onions flavors. 

• Oil & butter. Only a tablespoon of each.

• Salt, pepper and paprika. Just to season the onions and balance the beer sauce. Use smoked paprika if you'd like to impart some smokiness. 

• Skillet. Heavy bottomed skillet that can be used on the stove top or the grill - a cast iron one is perfect, 10-12 inch diameter will work well for this recipe.

Best Beer for Brats

For best results use a flavorful, low-bitterness beer to simmer the brats in.

To that end and since this is a German recipe, we recommend that you select one of their dark lagers - dunkel (what we used this time around), bock, doppelbock, schwarzbier or ales like altbier or dunkelweizen. 

The caramely sweetness present in these rich, malty styles will infuse the brats with the most desirable flavors. Other German types of beer that will work well are Munich helles, kolsch, and if in season - definitely Oktoberfest style (Marzen) lager. 

Outside the German styles seek out brown ales, porters, stouts. 

How to Cook Beer Brats in Skillet

Beer Brats on Stove

Step 1. Place your skillet over medium-high heat stove. In about 2 minutes add the oil and brown the brats, about 1-2 minutes per side, until they get golden brown. Remove them from the skillet and set them aside temporarily. 

Step 2. Lower the heat to medium and melt the lump of butter in the skillet. Add the onions, brown sugar, thyme, salt and pepper and paprika, stir and let cook down until onions are soft and just beginning to caramelize.

Step 3. Pour the beer over the softened sliced onion, stir, scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the beef stock and stir. Add the brats back and make sure they are nicely submerged. Reduce heat and simmer until beer sauce has reduced and the brats are fully cooked (160 F). If you worked with pre-cooked brats do not worry about temperature, just make sure the sauce has thickened before ready to serve.

Finally, present the brats garnished with some fresh thyme for extra savory aromas, serve some beer mustard on the side and enjoy. 

Beer Brats on the Grill

Weather permitting you can absolutely use your grill to make these beer brats. Heat it to 350 F and do everything as described above.

Or instead of initially browning the brats in the skillet, mark them on the grill for about 2 minutes per side and set them aside while you cook down the onions. Then add them back to the skillet with the onions and beer to braise just as you would if following the stove top method.

Favorite Ways to Serve

The classic way of course is to place a brat inside a soft, warmed hoagie or soft pretzel roll, top with a bunch of the onions, some mustard, a drizzle of the beer sauce and enjoy.

Our favorite way to enjoy brats in beer sauce is like the Germans often do - along side potato salad, potato dumplings, mashed potatoes or pretzel dumplings. 

TIP: If you end up with a cup or so of sauce left after using up the onions save it to make a gravy (see recipe card for instructions) or briefly warm some sauerkraut in it, mmm.

Other German Recipes You Might Enjoy with Your German Beer

Obatzda Bavarian Beer Cheese Dip
German Skillet Fries with Bacon
Sauerkraut Strudel
Sauerkraut Balls
Schnitzel
Frikadellen
Kartoffelpuffer
Beer Garden Menu