Josh's World Famous Bratwursts

Ingredients:
5-6 Bratwursts
1 medium onion
4-5 cloves of garlic
4 12 oz beers
1 can of Saurkraut
Hot dog buns or Hoagie rolls
Brown, spicy mustard

OK, first things first. Get good brats! Don't buy those Eckridge precooked abominations. You're going to do the cooking yourself. My favorite brats were from Fischer's Meat Market(made right there in the store) up in Muenster, but Johnsonville Brats aren't far behind. There are a few different varieties, but I like cheddar ones the best. The beer-flavored wursts are a waste. It's like buying a beef-flavored steak.

Once you've gotten your ingredients, put your brats in a good-sized pot and pour in your beers. If you're only making a few, you may not need all the beer. Just make sure that they're covered. A word about beers: use something cheap and light-bodied. I normally use Bud Dry or sometimes even Keystone. Stay away from the heavier, darker beers.

Coarsely chop your onion and garlic and toss them in with the brats. Bring it to a quick boil and then reduce the heat so that they're barely boiling. If you're going to use charcoal, now is the time to run outside and get your grill going. Let your brats boil for about 30 minutes (a little longer won't hurt). Your fire should be just about right at this time. When you take the brats out to the grill, use that already hot burner (if you use electric like me) to warm up your saurkraut. I sometimes just toss it in the microwave instead.

Drain the brats and discard the beer, onions, and garlic. I've tried grilling them, but they've pretty much given up their flavor by that time, so they aren't really worth the trouble. You can cook them now or put them in zip-lock bags and toss 'em in the fridge to grill the next day. Throw them on your hot grill and listen to them sizzle. Right about now would be the perfect time to drink one of those leftover beers. Brown them good on one side (5 minutes or so depending upon your fire) and then flip them over with your tongs. Don't poke them with a fork because they'll release their juices and dry out. Brown the other side and you're finished. Don't worry about whether or not you got them done or not because the boiling actually did the cooking, the grill is just to add the smoke flavor, the pretty brown color, and that great crunch.

Serve the brats on hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls if you can find them) with a heaping helping of kraut on top. Spicy mustard adds that final touch that is so perfect it nearly brings a tear to my eye. Some people forego the kraut and just eat them with mustard. Although it bothers me deep down to see that, I'll usually let them get away with it. Others like regular old yellow mustard and I guess thats ok if you're a pansy. It's also a good idea to toss some hotdogs on the grill with your brats, because, believe it or not, there are a few people out there who'd prefer to eat one of those instead. Bleh!

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