Beer Poached & Grill Smoked Brats

Sausage is a religious experience for me...just a half of a notch below steak. In the sausage hierarchy, Bratwurst is the be-all, end-all. Followed closely by Hot Italian Sausage. But you can't just cook or grill bratwurst. Bratwurst must be prepared.

Preparing bratwurst is a two-step process. First, these oh-so-special sausages must be poached in beer. But beer alone will never do. Coarsely chopped onion and dried rosemary must accompany their friend, Budweiser (my favorite brand for cooking brats).

Once poached, the brats must spend 20 minutes of quality time on the grill. But not over direct heat. I use a half of a Weber chimney of lump charcoal and set it off to the side of the grill. To that, I add a big chunk of mesquite to give the brats a wisp of smoked perfection. The brats get set to the other side of the grill.....where they gently brown up.

Once cooked, my brats slide into fresh brat buns and are accompanied by finely diced onions and Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard. And each bite is joyfully washed down with a substantial guzzle of Stella Artois. How does a Memorial Weekend not get any better than that?


Ingredients
6 bratwurst sausages
2 cans Budweiser
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 large chunk of mesquite

6 brat buns
Finely diced onions
Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard


Directions

1. Place the sausages in the bottom of a sauce pan. Add enough beer so that the sausages are completely immersed in the beer. Then add chopped onion and rosemary.
2. Prepare a grill for indirect cooking over medium heat.
3. Bring beer to a boil in sauce pan and then turn down heat to a gentle simmer. Cook brats in beer for 20 minutes.
4. Place coals to one side of the grill and put the brats on the other side. Add mesquite to coals. Cover grill and cook brats for 20 minutes. Then serve in brat buns with finely diced onions and Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard.

Pairing: It's Memorial Day Weekend. It's 90º outside. You are going to be eating the best tasting brats in the entire world, so let's not go anywhere but to Stella Artois.

Grogs and Goldie, 1956