A WISCONSIN DELICACY FOR EPICUREANS: Giving The Lowly Bratwurst A Little Dignity

Introductory Comments

Hi folks, it's me--Chef G.--the world's most un-celebrated of all celebrity chefs.  Today I've got a very special treat in store for you.  That's right, it's bratwurst.

I admit that a bratwurst recipe isn't exactly the most sophisticated dish to be presenting on the esteemed Chef G. Cooking Channel.  Obviously, bratwursts are about as far from gourmet fare as one can get.  They are known as the kind of food that any backyard griller can toss onto a grate over hot coals and forget about for 15 minutes while entertaining friends.  The fact that bratwursts have become a tail-gating favorite is a testament to how easy they are to prepare.  I mean, if a van-load of Green Bay Packer fans can drive into the Lambeau Field parking lot at 7:00 a.m., drink huge quantities of beer until 11:30, fire up a little grill at that time, and have their bellies chock full of bratwursts by game time at noon--well, you KNOW it can't be too complicated, right?

Not so fast, there!  I used to believe that's all there was to grilling bratwursts and I made them like that for many years.  That all changed about 15 years ago.  While camping in Wisconsin's Chequamegon National Forest with a couple buddies, I learned a vastly superior way to prepare bratwursts from an honest-to-goodness bratwurst genius.  He was staying at the site next to ours with a group of his own buddies, and he invited us to join them in a bratwurst feed.

We were hesitant at first because he was a Packer fan and had been drinking huge quantities of beer.  Yet we were intrigued by his knowledge of what it takes to prepare the perfect Wisconsin-style gourmet bratwurst and by the high degree of confidence he had in his recipe.  We accepted the invitation and did not regret it.

We paid close attention to every step of his cooking process and watched in amazement at how he seemed to have two open beers at all times--one in each hand.  Ever since that day, I have almost exclusively used the brilliant recipe I learned from that mysterious backwoods Wisconsin legend.

Wisconsin = A Whole New Level Of Bratwurst Excellence

The name "bratwurst" might sound like it has German origins--and maybe it does--but Wisconsinites seem to think it was invented in their own state.  I'm normally a skeptic when it comes to such claims, but I'm going to let this one go because I've travelled in northern Wisconsin extensively.  The region is loaded with roadside butcher shops, grocery stores, and even combination gas station/bait shops that manufacture their own bratwursts.  Some of them incorporate such things as cranberries, blueberries, apples, habanero peppers, wild rice, and various cheeses into their recipes.  Venison and turkey bratwurst is sometimes offered as a leaner alternative, but to hell with all that.  I'm the great Chef G. and I recommend sticking to good old reliable bratwursts made simply with fatty pork and fresh spices.

If Wisconsinites didn't actually invent bratwursts, they almost certainly were the ones who shortened the name to "brats" (pronounced "broughtz") so let's show some respect where respect is due.  Besides, German bratwursts are almost impossible to find in the U.S. 

Let's Go Shopping

So you want to make a high-quality bratwurst while staying true to the cooking ethic of regional authenticity?  Good for you.  In that case it is of the utmost importance that you start with a bratwurst that is actually made in the State of Wisconsin.  No self-respecting bratwurst enthusiast would purchase brats made in California or Texas or Connecticut.  That would be like buying a fresh lobster raised on a farm in Ohio.  Or like buying Kobe Beef raised in Afghanistan.  Or like buying pineapple from a Manitoba citrus farm.  It just ain't right.

There are some national brands of brats that are made in Wisconsin--like Johnsonville and Klements--and they are actually quite good.  But for a true foodie experience I think it's necessary to seek out a small, rural Wisconsin meat market.  Some of them might even ship an order to wherever you live.

Better yet, visit Wisconsin and develop a relationship with the local sausage maker.  You will learn to appreciate a product made by a local artisan and the rusty gears of his ancient sausage grinder.  After a while--if you've ordered often enough and you've tipped well enough--he might even pull you to the side of the meat counter and hand you a package of his "special batch" with extra mustard seed and 10% more fat.

I live in Minnesota, but I'm only six miles away from the Wisconsin border.  The first town after crossing the St. Croix River is Prescott, which has a place called Ptacek's.  Lucky for me, Ptacek's has a reputation for processing some pretty fine bratwurst.  So I rode my bicycle there this morning to do some shopping for today's meal.

Wisconsin welcomes you . . . to buy bratwursts.

There are four sections of bratwurst in the Ptacek's meat case.  One is dedicated
to Johnsonville products, the other three are in-house specialties.  I didn't actually
count them, but I'd estimate they have at least 20 different types of bratwurst.

Adhering to my own preference, I selected the regular
brats with no fancy additives.  I also picked up some
real Wisconsin beer, some of which will be used in
the cooking process.

[NOTE:  Most Wisconsin bratwurst makers offer a version of their product that is "flavored with beer."  As you will see in the recipe that follows, there is absolutely no reason to buy that stuff.]

I raced back home while trying to hold back the drool.  There were visions of sizzling Wisconsin sausages dancing in my head.

It's Time To Cook

The List of Ingredients:

• Five Wisconsin Bratwurst Sausages
• One small Wisconsin Onion
• 12 oz. Wisconsin Beer
• Five Wisconsin hotdog buns
• Yellow Mustard (It doesn't necessarily have to be Wisconsin yellow mustard, but certainly not Dijon or any other fancy French stuff.)

Cooking Instructions:

Open the package of bratwursts and place five of them, individually, in a 3-quart pot.  Handle the brats carefully so as not to puncture the delicate casings.

Next, cut two thin slices off of the Wisconsin onion, finely dice 
them, and set aside for later use.  Quarter the rest of the onion
and toss the chunks into the pot with the bratwursts.

Bratwursts are a dish best cooked outdoors, so if you aren't camping, haul your pot of brats and onion out to the back yard.  Light the charcoals on your grill  (A gas grill simply will not do!) and pay attention to the next step.

 

[SPECIAL NOTE:  Wisconsin considers itself to be the beer capitol of America.  Indeed, such iconic brands of the olden days--Miller, Schlitz, Old Style, Old Milwaukee, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Leinenkugel, Blatz--all came from Wisconsin.  Unfortunately, almost all of them no longer exist or were bought out by non-Wisconsin companies.  

The good news is that there are many new craft breweries in Wisconsin.  When a Michelin-starred French chef utilizes wine in his boeuf bourguignon he doesn't pour a half-bottle of Boone's Farm into the pot.  No, he relies on quality.  Likewise, I'm straying a little bit from the recipe used by my ingenious Wisconsin bratwurst mentor.  He used Miller Lite.  I'm upstaging him by using Spotted Cow Ale from the New Glarus Brewing Co.  It's greatest claim to fame is that it is sold ONLY in Wisconsin.  There are many great beers from all over the U.S. that are better than Spotted Cow, but I'm sticking to this Wisconsin craft beer for the sake of authenticity.]

When the beer-y liquid in the pot comes to a rolling boil, allow the brats to absorb the beer and onion flavor for approximately three minutes.  Then transfer them to the charcoal grill.  Allow the the pot of beer and onion to continue simmering while the brats take on additional color and flavor from not only the coals, but also from whatever residual flavors are left on the grate from last night's meal.

Three more tips:

My brat-cooking guru consistently had a beer in
each hand.  I didn't get it at the time, and I still
don't.  But why take any chances?

Keep an eye on your dog so he doesn't flip the lid off your
grill and eat all your brats.

Do NOT ignore the bratwursts like the tailgating Packer
fans.  Turn them frequently to give them a nice uniform 
charred look.  Enjoy the pleasant sizzling sound as the
brats drip their grease onto the embers.

After about fifteen minutes of sizzling (while turning frequently) return the brats to the still- bubbling pot of beer and onions as seen in the exciting video below. 

Ahh, more flavor.  While the brats simmer in the thickened beer and onion liquid, prepare the buns and condiments.  Don't waste your money on those big "brat buns" from a bakery.  Too much bread takes away from the natural flavor of the Wisconsin bratwurst.  Assuming they're fresh, a $2.49 package of eight hotdog buns is perfect.

As for the condiments, use the finely chopped onions you set aside earlier and a few squirts of mustard.  Sauerkraut and pickle relish are acceptable, but should be used sparingly.  NEVER put ketchup or barbeque sauce on a bratwurst unless you want people to believe you lack epicurean culture.

When serving your Wisconsin masterpiece, garnish the plates
with potato chips and some kind of green leafy stuff.  The
enhanced presentation will impress the hell out of your guests
who doubted whether you were capable of pulling off this
exquisite example of culinary excellence.