Planning a summer party or a backyard barbecue? Try this hot-off-the-grill recipe piled high with creative bratwurst toppings. Add our Midwest slaw (also below) for tang and crunch.

Bratwurst

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Marinate Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Grill Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 5 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 5 uncooked bratwurst links or turkey bratwursts (about 1 lb.)
  • 1 12-oz. can dark German beer, desired beer, or 1½ cups beef broth
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped onion (1 medium)
  • 3 Tbsp. bottled steak sauce
  • 2½ tsp. smoked paprika or sweet paprika
  • 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 5 slices uncooked bacon
  • 5 hot dog buns, round hard rolls, bratwursts buns, hoagie buns, or other crusty rolls, split and toasted
  • 5 Tbsp. coarse ground mustard

Directions

  1. Use the tines of a fork to pierce the skin of each bratwurst several times. Place bratwurst in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, stir together beer, onion, steak sauce, paprika, and garlic. Pour over bratwurst; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
  2. Transfer bratwurst and marinade to a large saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until brown but not crisp. Drain on paper towels.
  4. Using tongs, remove bratwurst from saucepan; discard marinade. Let the bratwurst cool slightly. Wrap a slice of bacon around each bratwurst; secure with wooden toothpicks.
  5. For a charcoal grill, grill bratwurst on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals, for about 5 minutes or until brown and bacon is crisp, turning often. (For a gas grill, preheat the grill. Reduce heat to medium. Grill bratwurst on a grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as directed.)
  6. Remove and discard toothpicks from bratwurst. Serve bratwurst on rolls with coarse ground mustard and Tangy Midwest Slaw.

Tangy Midwest Slaw

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet pickle juice
  • ¼ tsp. celery seeds
  • 1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
  • 2½ cups packaged shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw mix) or shredded green cabbage

In a medium bowl, stir together everything but the cabbage/slaw mix. Then add coleslaw mix; toss to coat.