Brats precooked in beer & grilled on top of the stove

As the air turns crisp and the leaves turn colors, it’s time for fall foods such as brats! Precooking them adds flavor, shortens the grilling time and insures they are cooked through. 

Brats precooked in beer & grilled on top of the stove 

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, sliced 

1 tall can of beer or enough to cover brats (use part water if preferred)

2 to 3 teaspoons mustard seeds

Package of uncooked brats (mine contained 5)

1. Heat butter of medium low; add onion and cook until tender.
2. Add beer and mustard seeds and heat to almost boiling.
3. Add brats and simmer for about 12 minutes (avoid boiling so the brats don’t burst).
   
   
   
4. Remove and drain. Can be refrigerated at this point and grilled when ready to eat.
5. Grill on preheated stove top grill pan (medium high temperature), turning to get grill marks — grill about 5 to 10 minutes of until an instant read thermometer reads at least 160°F. Add cooked grill to grill at the end.
6. Serve on warm buns with sauerkraut and mustard as desired. We recommend our 40-Minute Hot Dog Buns . . . yes, they really are done, start to finish in 40 minutes! 

 

 Recipe without photos . . . Brats precooked in beer & grilled on top of the stove 

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, sliced 

1 tall can of beer or enough to cover brats (use part water if preferred)

2 to 3 teaspoons mustard seeds

Package of uncooked brats (mine contained 5)

1. Heat butter of medium low; add onion and cook until tender.
2. Add beer and mustard seeds and heat to almost boiling.
3. Add brats and simmer for about 12 minutes (avoid boiling so the brats don’t burst).
4. Remove and drain. Can be refrigerated at this point and grilled when ready to eat.
5. Grill on preheated stove top grill pan (medium high temperature), turning to get grill marks — grill about 5 to 10 minutes of until an instant read thermometer reads at least 160°F. Add cooked grill to grill at the end.
6. Serve on warm buns with sauerkraut and mustard as desired. We recommend our 40-Minute Hot Dog Buns . . . yes, they really are done, start to finish in 40 minutes! 

 

Sausage Kolaches

Our Saturday routine in New Braunfels, TX includes a stop at Naegelin’s Bakery on our way to the old town Farmer’s Market. Open since 1868, Naegelin’s is the oldest bakery in Texas and offers German, everyday and special occasion pastries of all kinds. Our favorite breakfast treat is definitely Sausage Kolaches with cups of Texas Pecan Coffee. Consequently, I am on a quest to create those sausage rolls, a Kansas variation of our Texas staple! 

A recipe for Chinese Hot Dogs caught by eye on a Facebook Red Star Bakers group, so I gave it a try. The bread is delicious. I’ll continue to experiment with different kinds of sausage and perhaps even use some whole wheat flour in the dough.
Concerning the name of these sausage rolls — a friend from Czechoslovakia and I have been having a conversation. She does not understand why these are referred to as kolaches. Actually, I was surprised by the name too. The case where they are located in the bakery is near the fruit-filled buns, the traditional kolaches and these do not resemble them in any way! So I did an internet search and found lots of recipes for sausage kolaches that looked similar to mine and those at the bakery.  This is also what I found—The sausage kolache, more accurately called klobasniky, is a staple for hearty, on- the-go breakfasts throughout Central Texas. 

Sausage Kolaches   Makes 12 

2/3 cup heavy cream (160 ml, at room temperature)

1 cup whole milk (plus 1 tablespoon, at room temperature; total 250 ml)

1 large egg (at room temperature)

1/3 cup granulated sugar (75g)

1/2 cup cake flour (70g) (helps create a soft dough)

3 1/2 cups bread flour (500g)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast (11g)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt (7g)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

12 precooked sausages (brats)

Egg wash: whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water

Simple syrup: 2 teaspoons (8g) of sugar dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water

Toppings, optional (sesame seeds, paprike, etc.)

1. In the bowl of a mixer, add the heavy cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt (add it in that order). 
   
2. Using the dough hook attachment, turn on the mixer to “stir.” Let it go for 15 minutes, occasionally stopping the mixer to push the dough together. (If dough is sticky, a LITTLE more bread flour could be added but in small amounts; better to be a little sticky than to add too much flour.)
   
3. After 15 minutes, the dough is ready for proofing. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough will grow to 1.5X its original size.
   
   
   
   
4. In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages, and allow them to crisp slightly and get some color on them. Set aside on a plate to cool.
   
   
   
   
5. After the hour of proofing, put the dough back in the mixer and stir for another 5 minutes to get rid of air bubbles. 
6. Dump the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 equal pieces.
   
7. Preheat the oven to 350° F. 
8. Take each piece of dough and roll it into a 10-12 inch rope, keeping the middle thicker than the ends. 
   
9. Roll the rope around a hot dog, tucking in the ends. 
   
10. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (keep the buns 2-3 inches apart). Repeat until all the buns are assembled.
    
11. Cover the baking sheet with a kitchen towel and allow the buns to rise in a warm place for another hour. The buns should close to double in size. 
12. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or other toppings as desired. (I used sesame seeds on half and a sprinkling of paprika on others.)
    
13. Bake the buns for 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.
14. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the buns with sugar water to create a surface shine. 
    

Recipe without photos . . .

Sausage Kolaches   Makes 12 

2/3 cup heavy cream (160 ml, at room temperature)

1 cup whole milk (plus 1 tablespoon, at room temperature; total 250 ml)

1 large egg (at room temperature)

1/3 cup granulated sugar (75g)

1/2 cup cake flour (70g) (helps create a soft dough)

3 1/2 cups bread flour (500g)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast (11g)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt (7g)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

12 precooked sausages (brats)

Egg wash: whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water

Simple syrup: 2 teaspoons (8g) of sugar dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water

Toppings, optional (sesame seeds, paprike, etc.)

1. In the bowl of a mixer, add the heavy cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt (add it in that order). 
2. Using the dough hook attachment, turn on the mixer to “stir.” Let it go for 15 minutes, occasionally stopping the mixer to push the dough together. (If dough is sticky, a LITTLE more bread flour could be added but in small amounts; better to be a little sticky than to add too much flour.)
3. After 15 minutes, the dough is ready for proofing. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour. The dough will grow to 1.5X its original size.
4. In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages, and allow them to crisp slightly and get some color on them. Set aside on a plate to cool.
5. After the hour of proofing, put the dough back in the mixer and stir for another 5 minutes to get rid of air bubbles. 
6. Dump the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 equal pieces.
7. Preheat the oven to 350° F. 
8. Take each piece of dough and roll it into a 10-12 inch rope, keeping the middle thicker than the ends. 
9. Roll the rope around a hot dog, tucking in the ends. 
10. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (keep the buns 2-3 inches apart). Repeat until all the buns are assembled.
11. Cover the baking sheet with a kitchen towel and allow the buns to rise in a warm place for another hour. The buns should close to double in size. 
12. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or other toppings as desired. (I used sesame seeds on half and a sprinkling of paprika on others.)
13. Bake the buns for 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.
14. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the buns with sugar water to create a surface shine. 

Tortilla-wrapped Brats on a stick

Tortilla-wrapped Brat with
Butternut Salad on the side.

When Barry told me what he was fixing for dinner, I was not too excited! But, I'm not one to "bite the hand that feeds me," so I made no negative comments. And, as it turned out, I am now a fan of his Tortilla-warpped Brats on a stick! They are a somewhat healthier version of the corn dogs I used to like when I was a teenager.
The recipe was inspired by something he saw in a magazine in the office of a doctor's waiting room . . . with his own twist.

Tortilla-wrapped Brats on a stick
7" whole wheat tortillas, either at room temp or slightly warmed so they are pliable
Grated cheese -- sharp Cheddar or a Cheddar blend
Fully cooked smoked brats (such as Johnsonville®)
Wooden skewers
Olive oil
Seasoning blend such as Freddy's® Famous Seasoning or you favorite brand
Dipping Sauce: Mix equal parts of ketchup and Dijon mustard

1. Lay tortillas on a flat work surface.
2. Sprinkle cheese down the center of each tortilla.
   
3. Add a wooden skewer to one end of brat.
4. Position each brat on top of a cheese-lined tortilla, lining up skewer end of brat close to one edge of the tortilla.
   
5. Roll up each tortilla, tucking the end (the one opposite the skewered brat) in as you roll.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray. Brush each tortilla lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning.
   
7. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 10 to 15 minutes until tortilla is lightly browned.
   
8. Serve with Dipping Sauce.

Recipe without photos . . .
Tortilla-wrapped Brats on a stick
7" whole wheat tortillas, either at room temp or slightly warmed so they are pliable
Grated cheese -- sharp Cheddar or a Cheddar blend
Fully cooked smoked brats (such as Johnsonville® )
Wooden skewers
Olive oil
Seasoning blend such as Freddy's® Famous Seasoning or you favorite brand
Dipping Sauce: Mix equal parts of ketchup and Dijon mustard

1. Lay tortillas on a flat work surface.
2. Sprinkle cheese down the center of each tortilla.
3. Add a wooden skewer to one end of brat.
4. Position each brat on top of a cheese-lined tortilla, lining up skewer end of brat close to one edge of the tortilla.
5. Roll up each tortilla, tucking the end (the one opposite the skewered brat) in as you roll. 
6. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray. Brush each tortilla lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning.
7. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 10 to 15 minutes until tortilla is lightly browned.
8. Serve with Dipping Sauce.

Brat & Cabbage Skillet – hurrah for seasonal foods!

We love one-dish meals that can be “thrown together” quickly. Barry created this one using cabbage from his vegetable garden. It’s a hearty, filling dish, and for me it indicates the seasons are changing. Bring on all of those fall foods . . . and the fall decor as well!

Brat & Cabbage Skillet   2 to 3 servings

About 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 baked potatoes, peeled & chopped (or leave peel on if preferred)

¼ of a large cabbage, coarsely chopped

3 fully-cooked brats, sliced into thick chunks

About 1/3 cup white wine for deglazing the pan (or use beef or chicken broth)

Kosher salt and pepper as needed

1.  Heat olive oil to a skillet set on medium high heat; add onions and sauté until tender; add minced garlic near the end of cooking time.

2.  Add cabbage and cook until it starts to become tender – placing a lid on the pot will create steam and aid in tenderizing.

3.  Then add potatoes and brats and cook until all is heated through, stirring occasionally and deglazing the pan with wine or broth. Check for seasonings, adding salt and pepper early in this step if needed.

Recipe without photos . . .

Brat & Cabbage Skillet   2 to 3 servings

About 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 baked potatoes, peeled & chopped (or leave peel on if preferred)

¼ of a large cabbage, coarsely chopped

3 fully-cooked brats, sliced into thick chunks

About 1/3 cup white wine for deglazing the pan (or use beef or chicken broth)

Kosher salt and pepper as needed

1.  Heat olive oil to a skillet set on medium high heat; add onions and sauté until tender.

2.  Add cabbage and cook until it starts to become tender – placing a lid on the pot will create steam and aid in tenderizing.

3.  Then add potatoes and brats and cook until all is heated through, stirring occasionally and deglazing the pan with wine or broth. Check for seasonings, adding salt and pepper early in this step if needed.