Smoked Brats With Beer and Onion
For an easy and crowd-pleasing dish at your next backyard BBQ party, you can’t go wrong with these very best smoked brats with beer and onion! After simmering in a beer braise, these brats are then smoked until they’re perfectly juicy and flavorful. These brats only require a few minutes of prep time, and then the smoker takes care of the rest.
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- wood smoker
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 bottles of German-style pilsner or shiner bock
- 6 uncooked bratwurst
- 6 buns
- Favorite condiments such as brown mustard
- Optional sauerkraut
Instructions
- Let the brats sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Heat the smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, scatter the onion slices around a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and pour in the beer. Nestle the brats in the beer bath so that the beer comes up about halfway up the brats. Bring to a simmer — not a boil — over medium heat.
- Once the beer simmers, move the skillet to the smoker and close the lid. Smoke the brats for 15 minutes, and then flip them and smoke for another 15 minutes.
- Leave the beer bath in the smoker but remove the brats from the liquid and place them directly on the grill grates. Continue to smoke the brats until they reach an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees F, about another 30-45 minutes. Remove from the smoker.
- Remove the brats from the beer bath to allow them to dry and let them rest for about five minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite condiments. Enjoy!
Notes
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three to four days. You can also freeze them for up to three months. To thaw, leave them in the refrigerator overnight.