Baconista Brats

Ramp up the flavor of this Midwest barbecue standby by marinating and precooking the bratwursts in beer then wrapping them in browned bacon to grill.

Baconista Brats
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Marinate Time:
6 hrs
Grill Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
6 hrs 45 mins
Yield:
5 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1 12-ounce bottle or can dark German beer, your favorite beer or 1 1/2 cups beef broth

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped onion

  • 3 tablespoons bottled steak sauce

  • 2 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika or sweet paprika

  • 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

  • 5 uncooked bratwurst links or turkey bratwursts (1 1/4 pounds)

  • 5 slices uncooked bacon

  • 5 round hard rolls, bratwursts buns, hoagie buns or other crusty rolls, split

  • Tangy Midwest Slaw (recipe follows)

Tangy Midwest Slaw

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle juice

  • ¼ teaspoon celery seeds

  • ⅛ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

  • 2 ½ cups packaged shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw mix) or shredded green cabbage

Directions

  1. In large resealable plastic bag, set in a shallow dish or bowl, combine beer, onion, steak sauce, paprika and garlic. Use a fork to pierce several holes in each bratwurst. Add bratwursts to bag. Seal bag and chill for 6 to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

  2. In a large saucepan, bring marinade and bratwursts to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook bacon until browned but not crisp. Drain on paper towels.

  3. Using tongs, remove bratwursts from marinade; discard marinade. Let bratwursts cool slightly. Wrap each bratwurst with a slice of bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick.

  4. Grill bacon-wrapped bratwursts on the rack of a covered charcoal or gas grill directly over medium heat about 5 minutes or until skins are browned and bacon is crisp, turning often.

  5. During the last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling, open the rolls and place them cut-side down on the grill to lightly toast. Remove bratwursts and rolls from grill. Remove the toothpicks from bratwursts.

  6. Place bratwursts in the rolls and top with Tangy Midwest Slaw.

Tangy Midwest Slaw

  1. In a medium bowl stir together the first 5 ingredients (through hot pepper sauce). Add coleslaw mix; toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

682 Calories
48g Fat
37g Carbs
23g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Calories 682
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 48g 62%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 1601mg 70%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 14mg 71%
Calcium 111mg 9%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 479mg 10%
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