Bratwurst, short as brats, is a delicious type of sausage especially common for barbecues and family parties. Grilling is the most preferred cooking technique of brats but stove cooking is just also effective as other techniques.
Other methods of cooking are appropriate when grilling is not feasible, or as a way to savor bratwurst at any time of the year. Learning how to cook brats on the stove gives you an advantage. It gives you the brown outside while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
Using basic equipment and ingredients, anyone can achieve optimal grilling and achieve flawlessly cooked brats on your stove.
In this content, we’ll help you master how to cook brats on the stove so that you get good results with less work.
Understanding Brats
Bratwurst, or brats, can be made from pork or beef or a combination of both and they are originally from Germany. Seasoned with wide-rage of spices including garlic, paprika and nutmeg, the potatoes come with different savory tastes.
Traditionally made from pork, brats can also be prepared using leaner meats like chicken or turkey to suit preferences.
This term has originated from the Old High German words “brät” meaning finely chopped meat and “wurst” meaning sausage.
One should discover how raw brats differ from pre-cooked ones before proceeding to cook the sausages on a stove. Raw brats are tender, skinless sausages requiring longer cooking at the right temperature, while pre-cooked brats only need reheating.
Even if some brats are smoked, it gives an extra taste to brats. Regardless of the cut, it is essential that the brat is cooked right to allow the end product to be not only juicy but crispy on the outside.
Being in a position to identify your type of brat and also your seasoning preference will enable you to reach the optimum point when preparations are being made on the stove.
Preparing the Brats
Like most dishes, preparing your brat is an essential process in learning how to cook brat on the stove, therefore, pay close attention. Here are some essential steps to follow:
Thawing Frozen Brats:
One thing you need to remember if you are using frozen brats, make sure to thaw the brats so that they will cook well. The most effective approach is to refrigerate them as soon as possible and let it sit in the refrigerator for a whole night.
The outside of roast meat cooks faster than the inside, so thawing ensures even cooking without overcooking the center.
However, if you have little time left, it is better off using cold water to thaw them which can take about 30 minutes depending on the amount of meat you plan to use; a microwave should never be used to thaw meat because the outer part will be cooked while the inner part is still defrosting.
Patting Brats Dry:
After that, let it thaw and then kindly dab their bodies using a paper towel. This step is important to avoid what might result from the fat present in the sausages splattering all over when cooking. It also facilitates a better sear and enables the food to get that crispy surface.
Optional Marinating or Seasoning:
Brats are delicious even without extras, but you can add beer, garlic or spices to improve the flavor of the brats. Rinsing the brats for 20 minutes after adding them to boiling water, and then draining them also give them a much better flavor when marinating them in the frig for a few hours before grilling. Or you can also use seasoning rubs such as paprika or mustard powder.
Preheating the Skillet:
Make sure you heat your skillet to medium before putting the brats into it. This creates a nice sear and does not allow sticking. Pre heating also helps should the brats be placed in a pan to ensure that they cook evenly.
Cooking Brats on the Stove
Knowing how to cook brats on the stove is quite simple and it yields perfectly tender and full flavored brats with browned skin. Follow these steps to ensure the best results:
1. Searing the Brats:
Start by placing the skillet on medium heat. Stir in a little amount of oil so that your food will not stick to the bottom in case you are not firing a non-stick pan.
Heat the skillet first before putting the brats in the pan. Place them on the oil and turn them on all sides to approve 3-4 minutes or over every side for a rich chestnut-brown. Browning as in locking in the juices to give a crisp and caramelized surface as well as a soft inside.
2. Simmering the Brats:
But that is not all, let the bratwurst brown to completely cook the meat, it is done on simmering. Pour as much beer, chicken broth or water into the skillet as it would fill the bottom of the skillet.
Meantime, the liquid assists in retaining moisture on the brats while the cooking is going on. After that, pour the mixture into the skillet and immediately cover it with a lid, lowering the heat to low.
Give the brats approximately 10-15 minutes to simmer. This step makes sure they have come to a safe internal temperature and ideally, tender with moisture.
3. Finishing the Brats:
After boiling them, you should check with the help of a thermometer lest the inside temperature of brats be too high. The brats should be safe when they are brought to 160°F or 71°C.
If they have reached the right temperature, remove the lid and use the same heat further to fry the skin for additional 2-3 minutes. This step allows the brats to cook and get the skin out, crisp, and moist on the inside.
4. Serving the Brats:
After the brats are treated for some time on the skillet, get rid of them and let them stay for some time before being served.
This helps the juices flow back to the correct positions within the sausage. Best to be eaten together with buns, mustard, sauerkraut or any other toppings preferred by the consumer.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
By following these tips, here are the usual errors you can avoid as you learn how to cook brats on the stove.
1. Overcooking or Undercooking
One of the largest errors is forgetting about the actual internal temperature of the brats. Too much time cooking them makes the sausages dry and difficult to chew, but when they are overcooked they are still raw in the middle.
Also as a tip for health conscious, when grilling, use a meat thermometer to get your brats to an internal temp of 160° F (71° C). This ensures safety, and at the same time, tenderness and moisture.
2. Not Using Enough Liquid
Although, when making brats in the pot, one should put enough liquid that can allow the brats to be moist when simmering. If you don’t add beer, broth or water you need to add it in the right proportion so that the brats do not dry out and as a result become hard. Using liquid results in the uniform brats cooking process and also ensures that they do not burn.
3. Burning the Brats While Searing
Grilling the brats is crucial but at high temperatures they burn on the outside while remaining raw on the inside. Maintain medium heat and sear patiently. Flip the brats frequently to achieve an even, golden-brown crust without charring.
4. Skipping the Resting Period
It’s important after grilling or boiling to let the brats rest for a few minutes before consumption. Slicing sausages immediately after cooking causes them to lose their juices, resulting in dryness. Relaxing them ensures that they remain moist and tender all the time they are outside the cooking pot.
By steering clear of these errors, then you’ll be in a position to avoid negative results and become an experienced brat cook on the stove.
Conclusion
Knowing how to cook brats on the stove is another convenient and efficient option that will help.
By searing, then simmering, and finally pan-frying the brats to give it a crust, you are ensured you have a delicious and tender meal to look forward to.
Basics like overcooking or undercooking your brat is a big mistake you must avoid when preparing those delicious brats. Cooking amazing dishes at home is surprisingly simple if you don’t have access to a grill since it requires only a few tools and components.
Everyone loves to cook brats on the stove because of its flexibility of preparing it rather than grilling it. Be it between a bun with mustard, or with other more grounded sides, they are always an easy yet filling pick.
Brats may be served on a roll or bun topped with mustard, ketchup, chili sauce or simply a bun with onions on top of the brat.
Now that we’ve given you some great tips, you are equipped with the knowledge required to prepare delicious brats on a stove and enjoy homemade meals.
