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bratwurst on bun with caramelized onions

Bratwurst Recipe

This tasty recipe for making your own homemade German style bratwurst is sure to be a hit with guests at your next BBQ and grilling cookout. With a silky smooth texture and perfect snap from the casing, these classic bratwursts are perfect for the grill and put the mass produced store bought versions to shame.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Servings: 5 ounce) links or patties
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, German

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt
  • 1/2 pound beef or pork fat or a blend
  • 1 tablespoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 4 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon savory
  • 1/2 teaspoon mace
  • 1/2 cup ice cold milk

Method 

  1. Prep. Before making sausage, please familiarize yourself with best practices as described in our article on The Science Of Sausage Making.
  2. Slice the meat and fat into cubes removing gristle and sinew. Place it on a plate or pan in the freezer, along with the grinder parts that will contact the meat. Leave it there for about 20 minutes until it is firm but do not let it freeze. This makes grinding easier.
  3. Grind it with a 1/4" (6.3 mm) die. Mix in the other ingredients. To get the right classic brat texture, transfer the mix to a food processor and pulse till smoothly emulsified.
  4. Pinch off a small piece of the sausage and cook it in a frying pan let it cool and taste to see if the seasoning is to your taste. Brats are almost always served as links, but if you wish, nobody will arrest you if you form it into patties, meatballs, or skinless tubes. At least not outside of Wisconsin.
  5. Cook. You can then grill or smoke it, or store it in the fridge for about 5 days or in the freezer for about a month.

Notes

About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
About the secret ingredients. Mace and savory, and don't skip them. Note that we speak often of savory flavors, but that is different from the herb named savory.
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