Estate Dinners
Boiled then Grilled Bratwurst
The Strategy:
Elevate your grilling game by first simmering these hearty pork links in chicken stock, sweet onions, and butter, a flavorful step you can easily complete ahead of time for stress-free entertaining. This gentle braising ensures a tender, juicy interior, perfectly contrasting with the smoky char achieved on the grill. Serve them proudly piled high with those same luscious butter-braised onions and a zesty splash of spicy mustard, or encourage guests to customize their perfect bite.
Ingredients
- 4 links fresh bratwurst
- 4 tablespoons butter, ½ stick
- 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 hoagie rolls
Instructions
- Use a fork to prick the casings of the bratwurst so they won’t explode. Place them into a deep pot. Add the butter and onion. Pour chicken stock over everything. Boil over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high. (You can use a grill pan if it’s too cold to grill outside.)
- Remove the brats from the pot and place onto the hot grill. Cook, using tongs to turn the brats until they are golden brown on all sides. Place the brats into the rolls and serve with the onions from the pot.
Thing to Note:
If you are serving brats, you are most probably serving them for your friends and family and thereby cooking a bunch of brats. And if you’re cooking a bunch of brats, there’s an easy way to cook them so that when you’re ready to eat, they’re ready to be eaten. I use a slow cooker to cook a bunch of brats before I grill them. Dump the brats, a bunch of butter, and several sliced onions into your slow cooker. Cover with chicken stock and set on high for a couple of hours or low if you’re cooking all day. When you’re ready, transfer the brats from the cooker to the grill, and you’re all set!
Another Thing to Note:
A grill pan is a great kitchen tool to have whether you’re an experienced cook or you’re setting up your first kitchen. The pan fits easily onto your stovetop and grills food just like you would outdoors. It’s easy to clean and comes in a wide variety of price points. It allows you to have that just-off-the-grill flavor even in the dead of winter.
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The Heart of the Table
There is a deep, comforting rhythm to preparing a meal that requires two distinct steps—like slowly simmering bratwurst in broth and butter before finishing them over an open flame. It is a process that requires patience, offering a quiet moment of mindfulness before the lively energy of a gathering begins. When you serve food that has been prepared with this level of intentional care, it communicates a profound respect for your guests, setting a tone of warmth and hospitality that encourages everyone to slow down and truly savor the moment together.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve the grilled bratwurst immediately from the grill, nestled into soft, warm hoagie rolls. Mound the sweet, butter-braised onions generously over the top of the sausage. Provide a selection of high-quality, coarse-ground mustards—perhaps a classic spicy brown and a sweet honey mustard—alongside a large bowl of crisp, vinegary German potato salad.
- THE POUR: An authentic German Pilsner or a crisp, dry Riesling. The sharp, bitter notes of the beer or the bright acidity of the wine are essential to cut through the heavy richness of the pork sausage and the sweet, buttery onions.
- THE VIBE: Robust, traditional, and incredibly welcoming. This is the ultimate menu for a crisp autumn afternoon gathered around a fire pit, where the rich aroma of grilling sausage naturally draws people together.
