Brats In A Pot

Outdoor grilling is a favorite summer food preparation method for picnics and family gatherings and with another Labor Day upon us, there is sure to be some grilling going on this weekend.

One of our favorite cookout foods is a grilled bratwurst. Now being from the Midwest we sort of take our bratwurst for granted. This particular sausage in fact, has become somewhat synonymous with the State of Wisconsin. Heck, any sausages seems synonymous with the State of Wisconsin. That’s why they have a sausage race at every single home baseball game the Milwaukee Brewers play.

Some of you may think this is a fabricated fact. It is not. Neither is this. Brett the bratwurst, Stosh the polish sausage, Guido the Italian sausage, Frankie the hot dog and Cinco the chorizo are the perennial participants in the race.

Witness the cover photo showing the race from a recent Cubs Brewers game our family attended where Guido won the race by several bun lengths.

Anyhow, sometimes, there is another way to prepare your favorite sausage and Wedwand offers this alternative for the classic bratwurst. Slow cooker, Brats in a Pot. Before you scoff, give it a try. It’s a great way to keep your kitchen cool in these waning days of Summer. It can also be a Fall favorite for the months ahead.

(Here’s a tidbit for you. All Crock Pots are slow cookers, but not all slow cookers are Crock Pots. Think that one over while you wipe your child’s tears with a Kleenex after you put a Band Aid on their skinned knee.)

INGREDIENTS

5 Russet Potatoes
Peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes.

5 Bratwurst
Ideally purchased at a country meat locker with cows in the field next to it. Store bought will work too.

2 Vidalia onions
This sweeter onion really makes a difference. Slice them vertically from top to bottom.

I 16oz bag sauerkraut
A can o kraut is probably OK, but those bags from the fridge section just look fresher.

1 apple
Peeled and cored and sliced. A sweeter apple like Braeburn, Fuji or Gala is best.

One cup of beer
You may drink the remaining 4 ounces if you wish. Or, if you buy a 40 oz, you may drink the remaining 32 ounces.

Garlic Powder
Just a shake or two.

Butter
Just a teaspoon for added flavor.

PREPARATION
Place the diced potatoes along the bottom of the slow cooker with the butter.

Place the 5 bratwurst in line across the top of the potatoes.

Put the onions on top of the brats.

Put half the sauerkraut over the onions. Then top with the apples slices. Put the rest of the kraut over the apples.

Sprinkle the garlic powder over that, then pour in the beer.

Set the timer to 6 hours on low. Oh, yeah, don’t forget to turn on the slow cooker.

NOTE: Wedwand has found layering the ingredients as above will effectively slow steam the brats from the bottom and top making the marriage of ingredients delicious.

SERVING
When done, take out the brats with some tongs and cut into bite sized slices and return to the slow cooker and stir the contents together.

Warm another 10-15 minutes and service in a bowl.

A loaf of bakery rye bread is a good accompaniment so you can dip the slices in the juice.

Happy September. Happy eating.