How Long To Cook Brats
Brats in the Oven: Cooking brats in the oven is so easy and a great option and easy way to get dinner on the table quick! Cooking them in the oven is similar to the way we cook Italian sausages in the oven too!
We’ve also cooked bratwursts on the stove with onions, and that’s also a delicious option!
Why You’ll Love Baking Bratwursts
We absolutely love having brats for lunch or as a fast dinner idea. They’ve even become a staple in our house when we have guests visiting or staying with us.
They’re just one of those things that require very little thought and usually, everyone loves them, so they’re a “no-brainer” when it comes to feeding a large group.
Now, don’t get me wrong… a brat on the grill is superb. But when it’s raining or there’s 10 ft. of snow on the ground, this gal’s not going outside to use the grill, and I prefer oven baked recipes.
Plus, sometimes I just don’t feel like using the grill and the oven sounds like a better idea. Or sometimes, even cooking brats in the air fryer in only 10 minutes is my favorite!
How Long to Cook Brats in the Oven
When your oven has preheated, place the baking dish/raw brats in the oven and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, turn the brats over and bake for another 6 minutes. After the 6 minutes, feel free to turn the oven to broil and allow the brats to sit under the hot heat for about another minute to gain that “grill-like” brat.
Cooking times can vary. I’ve made these in two different ovens, and I’ve found it to vary for cooking time. In my really old oven, it only took 16 minutes to reach the 160 internal temperature. In my brand-new oven, it took 20-25 minutes to reach the 160-degree internal temperature. So cook times can vary!
Internal Temperature Needs to Reach 160°
When the brats have cooked for 16-17 minutes, check the internal temperature of the brats to make sure they have reached a temperature of 160°.
How to Serve
Our favorite: Place oven baked brats on hot dog buns or a hoagie roll! Other Option: You can definitely eat bratwursts without bread, especially if you’re doing a low-carb diet! Or, you can cut up the bratwursts into small slices and add into your favorite pasta recipe or in a cabbage and sausage dish!
Brat Toppings
There are many different types of toppings you can put on bratwursts but I wanted to share some of our favorites! Bratwurst Topping Ideas: I’m going to have a hard time passing up plain ole mustard on a brat. (As you can see below.) BUT… I do love to adventure out at times and try something new. Here are my top favorites and make sure to check out my hot dog topping ideas to get even more ideas for your own brats!
How to Store
If you have leftover brats, store in an airtight container once they’ve cooled and enjoy within 3-4 days! Simply reheat by re-warming in the oven, in a microwave or in an air fryer.
What to Serve as a Side Dish with Brats
Keeping it simple? Grab some of these easy side dishes: potato chips, german potato salad or amish potato salad, pickles, pasta salad, side salad, cornbread salad, cucumber salad, baked beans, potato wedges, or any of these side dish recipes.
How to Cook Brats on the Stove
Bratwurst is the German sausage. You can buy them everywhere, from cheap ones in the supermarket to high-quality ones at the local butcher. There are different types of bratwurst, depending on the region in Germany. The two most obvious ones are the fine and the coarse. Both sorts are delicious, but I suppose everyone has their favorite. I prefer the coarser sort, especially when cooking brats on the stovetop. But whenever I buy sausages for grilling, I make sure to get both sorts; most kids prefer the finer ones.
What do you need?
Just 3 ingredients + a little oil, salt, and pepper. You could add a small pinch of teaspoon caraway seeds to the liquid for a slightly different flavor, but it’s not mandatory; I just like it.
How long to cook bratwurst on the stove?
Quarter the onion and slice the quarters. Heat the oil in a large, thick-bottomed pan; a cast-iron skillet yields the best results. Sear the brats on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Flip using tongs and brown the other side for another 3 minutes. Searing adds a lot of flavors, so don’t skip this step. Add the onion slices between the sausages and cook for about 2 minutes, until golden, stirring a few times. Flip again, add beer, cover, lower temperature, and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, flipping again halfway. The internal temperature should read 71 degrees Celsius/160 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, just cut one sausage in the middle; it’s easy to see if it’s cooked through. Remove the bratwurst, add salt and pepper to taste, and reduce the sauce for about 2 minutes. Return to the pan and turn them into the sauce. Serve the sausages and the caramelized onions immediately.
Recipe FAQ
What pan to use for cooking brats? I use my cast-iron skillet all the time. Another sturdy pan or a non-stick pan works as well. Should I poke holes in the casing? No! The brats will release all their juices and their flavor, and they will be overcooked. Cooking them in the liquid will prevent them from splitting; at least, it has never happened to me, and I must have cooked what feels like millions of brats. Keep an eye on the heat; this is a good way of preventing splitting and overcooking. Can I cook Italian sausages this way? Actually, yes, if they are similar in size and texture, they will taste great as well. Raw kielbasa is another option. Always check the internal temperature, especially if the products differ in size. Can I use frozen sausages for the recipe? You didn’t have the time to go to the grocery store but still have some frozen brats in the freezer? No problem! In this case, skip the browning part. Cook the onions for about 2 minutes until golden, then add the beer and the brats. Cook for 13-14 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 71 degrees Celsius/ 160 degrees Fahrenheit. You will probably miss the depth of flavor added by searing the meat first, but the dish will still be delicious. What to do with leftovers? Let the meal come to room temperature and refrigerate in an airtight container. It’s very easy to reheat them in the pan. However, you should add a bit of extra beer or another liquid. Reheat them gently on the stove, covered, and stirring occasionally. Can I freeze the leftovers? Yes, they should be fine for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat well before serving.
Grilling Brats
For minimal-effort grilling with high rewards, brats should be your go-to. We take the guessing game out of how to grill brats based on the type of grill you’re using—as in a gas, pellet, or charcoal grill, or even a grilling pan—with tips for getting a perfect char on your brat. We even answer that enigmatic question, “How do I know when brats are done?”
What Makes Brats so Great
Bratwurst is a German sausage traditionally made with pork and veal, although your grocer may carry all-beef ones or a beef combo. A variety of spices—usually ginger, nutmeg, lovage, marjoram, coriander, and caraway give brats their distinctive flavor. Generally sold fresh, brats are also available pre-cooked, cured or uncured, and smoked or unsmoked.
What You Need
Grill, Oil (for the grill grates), Brats, Grill tongs, Meat thermometer, Serving platter
How to Grill Brats on a Gas Grill
The benefit of cooking on a gas grill is that the heat is consistent. This makes sticking to moderate heat, the ideal for brats, easily achievable. Frequent turning of the brats is a must, but there’s less of a concern that the grill will be too hot and split the casings.
How to Grill Brats on a Pellet Grill
Similar to gas grills, you can effortlessly control a pellet grill’s cooking temperature, but the pellets add a subtle smokiness. Since pellet grills produce indirect heat, brats are less likely to overcook or split.
How to Grill Brats on a Charcoal Grill
Charcoal grills yield that smoky irresistible grill flavor, but they can get very, very hot. They’re great for getting a nice sear on a steak but not so great for brats, which can split if the heat is too intense. To cook brats on a charcoal grill, start them over indirect heat until mostly cooked, and then transfer them to the side of the grill with direct heat so they pick up a nice char in spots. Alternatively, cook your brats in an aluminum pan filled with beer (or a mixture of beer and water) directly on the grill.
How to Serve Bratwurst
Always with mustard. Otherwise, you can have them with bread, stuffed in a bread roll or hot dog bun, or with fries, ketchup, or mayonnaise. They also go well with German Potato Salad or any kind of potato salad, with Noodle Salad, oven-baked potato wedges, and most other potato side dishes you can think of. And sauerkraut or Bavarian sauerkraut. Brats and sauerkraut are a match made in heaven. Some mashed potatoes on the side, and you will feel like you are in Germany.
More sausages
10 small brats about 75 g/ 2.7 oz each (Note), 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 medium onion more or less 150 g/ 5.3 oz, 250 ml/ 8.5 fl.oz/ 1 cup beer, fine sea salt and black pepper
How to Grill Brats on a Gas Grill
The benefit of cooking on a gas grill is that the heat is consistent. This makes sticking to moderate heat, the ideal for brats, easily achievable. Frequent turning of the brats is a must, but there’s less of a concern that the grill will be too hot and split the casings.
How to Grill Brats on a Pellet Grill
Similar to gas grills, you can effortlessly control a pellet grill’s cooking temperature, but the pellets add a subtle smokiness. Since pellet grills produce indirect heat, brats are less likely to overcook or split.
How to Grill Brats on a Charcoal Grill
Charcoal grills yield that smoky irresistible grill flavor, but they can get very, very hot. They’re great for getting a nice sear on a steak but not so great for brats, which can split if the heat is too intense. To cook brats on a charcoal grill, start them over indirect heat until mostly cooked, and then transfer them to the side of the grill with direct heat so they pick up a nice char in spots. Alternatively, cook your brats in an aluminum pan filled with beer (or a mixture of beer and water) directly on the grill.
How to Serve Bratwurst
Always with mustard. Otherwise, you can have them with bread, stuffed in a bread roll or hot dog bun, or with fries, ketchup, or mayonnaise. They also go well with German Potato Salad or any kind of potato salad, with Noodle Salad, oven-baked potato wedges, and most other potato side dishes you can think of. And sauerkraut or Bavarian sauerkraut. Brats and sauerkraut are a match made in heaven. Some mashed potatoes on the side, and you will feel like you are in Germany.
More sausages
10 small brats about 75 g/ 2.7 oz each (Note), 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 medium onion more or less 150 g/ 5.3 oz, 250 ml/ 8.5 fl.oz/ 1 cup beer, fine sea salt and black pepper
FAQs
Q: Can I use frozen sausages for the recipe?
A: Yes, they should be fine for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat well before serving.
Q: What pan to use for cooking brats?
A: I use my cast-iron skillet all the time. Another sturdy pan or a non-stick pan works as well.
Q: Can I cook Italian sausages this way?
A: Actually, yes, if they are similar in size and texture, they will taste great as well. Raw kielbasa is another option. Always check the internal temperature, especially if the products differ in size.
Q: What to do with leftovers?
A: Let the meal come to room temperature and refrigerate in an airtight container. It’s very easy to reheat them in the pan. However, you should add a bit of extra beer or another liquid. Reheat them gently on the stove, covered, and stirring occasionally.
Q: How long to cook bratwurst on the stove?
A: Quarter the onion and slice the quarters. Heat the oil in a large, thick-bottomed pan; a cast-iron skillet yields the best results. Sear the brats on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Flip using tongs and brown the other side for another 3 minutes. Searing adds a lot of flavors, so don’t skip this step.
Q: How to serve bratwurst?
A: Always with mustard. Otherwise, you can have them with bread, stuffed in a bread roll or hot dog bun, or with fries, ketchup, or mayonnaise. They also go well with German Potato Salad or any kind of potato salad, with Noodle Salad, oven-baked potato wedges, and most other potato side dishes you can think of.