Sous Vide Beer-Braised Brats
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 25, 2018
Time
Sous vide: 45 minutes to 3 hours; active cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Sous Vide Temperature
170°F/76.5°C
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Be sure to double bag the brats to protect against seam failure. The sausages can also be browned on the grill over medium-high heat. For more about sous vide cooking, refer to our sous vide guide.
Instructions
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 170°F/77°C in 7-quart container.
- Place bratwursts, ½ cup beer, and ½ teaspoon salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Arrange sausages in single layer and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until sausages are fully submerged, then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and caraway seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining 1 cup beer, mustard, honey, and vinegar. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Transfer bratwursts to paper towel–lined plate and pat dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown bratwursts on all sides, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve in rolls topped with onion mixture.TO MAKE AHEAD: Bratwurst can be rapidly chilled in ice bath and then refrigerated in zipper-lock bag after step 2 for up to 3 days. To reheat, return sealed bag to water bath set to 170°F/76.5°C for 15 minutes and then proceed with step 3.
Time
Sous vide: 45 minutes to 3 hours; active cooking time: 45 minutesYield
Serves 4Sous Vide Temperature
170°F/76.5°CIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Bratwursts and beer are a classic combination that need little introduction, but that's not to say that the beer-braised brat (a tailgating staple!) couldn't use a little help. To deliver juicy sausages infused with the right amount of beer flavor, we cook the brats sous vide with a mild lager and a little salt added to the bag. While the brats are swimming in the water bath, we brown some onions on the stovetop and then cook them down with a little whole-grain mustard plus more beer. Once the brats are cooked through, we give them a quick post–sous vide sear in a pan to crisp up and brown the exteriors. Loaded in sub rolls and topped with the beer-happy onions, these are better beer brats.
Before You Begin
Be sure to double bag the brats to protect against seam failure. The sausages can also be browned on the grill over medium-high heat. For more about sous vide cooking, refer to our sous vide guide.
Instructions
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 170°F/77°C in 7-quart container.
- Place bratwursts, ½ cup beer, and ½ teaspoon salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Arrange sausages in single layer and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until sausages are fully submerged, then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and caraway seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining 1 cup beer, mustard, honey, and vinegar. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Transfer bratwursts to paper towel–lined plate and pat dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown bratwursts on all sides, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve in rolls topped with onion mixture.TO MAKE AHEAD: Bratwurst can be rapidly chilled in ice bath and then refrigerated in zipper-lock bag after step 2 for up to 3 days. To reheat, return sealed bag to water bath set to 170°F/76.5°C for 15 minutes and then proceed with step 3.
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