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Cast Iron Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats

Garnished cheddar bacon beer brats in a skillet.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Cast Iron Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats are great in a bun with your favorite toppings or plated along any and every side dish for a complete meal.

Branded image of four bratwursts in a bun topped with fresh onion, cilantro and mustard, resting in a cast iron skillet.

This post has been updated from its original September 24, 2018 publishing with new images, content, and updated/clarified recipe directions.

What is a bratwurst?

If you’re like most people, the question of what’s the difference between all the various types of tubular-encased meats has crossed your mind at some point.

The average grocery store has a smattering of hot dogs, bratwursts, sausages (smoked, Italian, dried, etc.), kielbasas, chorizos, and more. But what really differentiates one from another?

The short, quickie answers are: country of origin, meat or meat mixtures, and spices.

Fun fact: the word sausage is generic and doesn’t denote any particular style or flavor.

Garnished Cheddar Bacon beer brats in a bun resting in a skillet.

Bratwursts and other wursts

Bratwursts or as they’re affectionately known as, brats are German in origin. Typically German pork or pork blend with veal or beef.

Commonly used spices are caraway, nutmeg, ginger, garlic, marjoram, and coriander, but of course others are used too. The blends are often regional.

Natural casings or pig intestines are what they are often encased in.

How to make brats in beer

Ingredients needed to make the recipe: 8 bratwursts, cilantro, beer, onions, peppers, and spices

There are many ways to make brats, but this is one of my favorite methods, especially when I don’t feel like grilling.

Boiling in seasoned beer then giving them a hot sear enhances the flavor of each bite.

Braising liquid added to the dutch oven for boiling the bratwursts.

Using either a Dutch oven or a skillet with a lid, bring to a boil the beer, garlic, salt, iron, and peppercorns.

Toss in the brats, cover, and let them bubble away for a good 30 minutes. Try your best to not peek, that steam is important.

Lid placed on the brats for cooking on the stove.

Once the time is up, reserve a quarter up of the clear liquid and toss the rest out.

(Or you can use it for make something else like rice or potatoes if not serving in a bun.)

Drained brats after boiling in a green colander.

Get the Dutch oven or skillet screaming hot again (see notes in the recipe card) and sear the now cooked brats.

If they all won’t fit in at once with space around and between them, sear them in batches. Nobody likes to be crowded when they’re tanning, neither do brats.

Slow add the reserved liquid to help create some steam and enhance the color.

The brats after searing in the Dutch Oven.

Toss them in a bun and garnish with mustard, onions, and cilantro. Or serve with any side dish (like the above mentioned potatoes or rice.)

Now dig into the delicious Cast Iron Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats.

Do I have to use Cheddar Bacon Brats

No. Use any type of brats you like. We love the cheddar bacon because…cheese…bacon; what’s not to love?

Plain or any other flavored will work, although you might want to adjust your toppings-but that’s a personal choice.

Finished and garnished cast iron cheddar bacon beer brats in the skillet.

Can I make cheddar bacon beer brats in a slow cooker?

Well we here at Dutch Oven Daddy are all about the cast iron, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use other methods of cooking, especially if time is an issue.

Toss the braising liquid ingredients in your slow cooker then the brats. Give them a nice stir. Pop on the lid. Cook for 3 hours on high or up to 6 hours on low.

You can drain and serve at that point, but if you’ve got the time, pull out a skillet and give them that quick sear. You won’t regret it.

Branded image of the Cast Iron Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats garnished with onions, cilantro, and mustard in the skillet, wooden utensils off to the side.
Four buns of cheddar bacon beer brats garnished with onions, cilantro, and mustard in a skillet.
Print Recipe
5 from 12 votes

Cast Iron Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats

Cast Iron Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats are great in a bun with your favorite toppings or plated along any and every side dish for a complete meal.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cheddar Bacon Beer Brats
Servings: 4
Calories: 970kcal
Author: Ned Adams

Equipment

  • 4 qt. Dutch Oven
  • 12-inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 8 cheddar bacon bratwursts
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic 1 tbsp fresh/ minced
  • 4 oz yellow onion diced
  • 4 oz bell pepper diced
  • 24 oz dark ale/beer
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp whole peppercorns

Optional items for serving

  • 8 bratwurst buns
  • 8 oz onions thinly sliced or diced
  • ¼ cup yellow mustard
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Add the beer, garlic, salt, onion, and whole peppercorns to a Dutch oven (or skillet); bring to a boil.
  • Add the bratwursts.
  • Bring to a boil then cover.
  • Boil for 30 minutes.
  • Once done, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid, drain the rest; discard.
  • Heat the skillet over medium high heat. (see notes)
  • Sear the brats, (in batches if necessary, do not crowd them) on all sides to a deep golden brown, slowly incorporting the reserved liquid.
  • Remove from heat.

Options for Serving

  • Serve in a bun topped with onions, cilantro, and yellow mustard, or your favorite side dishes.

Notes

Notes on making beer brats

  • Any Dutch oven, 3 quarts or larger will work.
  • If using a Dutch oven, drain off and out all the braising liquid and sear the brats in the same pot instead of a separate skillet.
  • A 12-inch skillet with a lid can be used to make the recipe instead of a Dutch oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 970kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 2597mg | Potassium: 933mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 969IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 329mg | Iron: 6mg

Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Did you try this recipe?Leave me a comment and rating below or Tag @DutchOvenDaddy on Instagram to show us your photos!

Other ways to use brats

Swap out hot dogs for bratwursts for an even tastier meal. Here’s some recipes that could easily have brats swapped in:

More Delicious Bratwurst Recipes

Branded image for the The Complete Savorist of Beer Braised Blue Cheese Bratwursts
13 replies
  1. Cathleen
    Cathleen says:

    5 stars
    These were the ideal thing to make tonight!! My husband devoured these, and has already requested that I make it again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂

    Reply
  2. Anjali
    Anjali says:

    5 stars
    We made these brats for a block party this afternoon and they were a total hit!! The beer and spices added such great flavor to them!

    Reply
  3. Julia
    Julia says:

    5 stars
    This was delicious, we used regular bratwursts as this was the inly thing we had but next time definitely trying the cheddar brats!

    Reply
  4. Holly
    Holly says:

    5 stars
    These brats were SO good! I had the kids over for the weekend so we were cooking for a crowd. This recipe was perfect. Everyone loved them Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

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