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Sunday, March 24, 2002Grilling Tips for sehr gut Bratwurst mit Kraut
The first step is buying the ingredients. Here is a run down of the brands available at my local grocery store. I suspect that Boar's Head is a premium store brand, as I've only seen their products in the Deli at Publix. Check out what your local grocer has available, or ask the staff at a German-style Deli or restuarant.
Saurkraut:
- Hebrew National: Terrible.
- Silver Floss (in a can): Not so good.
- Silver Floss (in a jar): Decent.
- Boar's Head: Excellent.
Bratwurst:
- Johnsonville: Decent.
- Boar's Head: Excellent but pricey.
- Hillshire Farms: As good as Boar's Head, half the price.
All of the bratwurst I've found come pre-cooked, which is a great thing. I use the lowest flame on my grill, rotating them every couple of minutes to avoid burning (and drying) the outside too much. Twelve to fifteen minutes is usually long enough, you can check by slicing out a piece from the middle.
For the kraut, place in a pot of appropriate size and add water if needed. Add one sliced up bratwurst per pound of kraut. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium heat, cover, and stir occasionally. If you have a side-burner on your grill, this is exactly what it's there for. It should be finished at the same time as the brats.
To create a different flavor, replace the brats in the kraut mix with frankfurters. I usually do this when preparing several varieties of wurst. If you cannot local a suitable brand of frankfurter, Nathan's "thin" style hot dogs are of the proper flavor.
It has been yet another beautiful day in South Florida. I say "paradise" somewhat in jest... I'm not a big fan of the weather here. Other states have hotter summer months, but Florida has humidity that can make even the nights uncomfortable.
When the daytime weather is pleasant, one of the best things that you can own in Florida is a gas barbecue grill. It's rare to have a gas range in this area, so breaking out the barbecue grill is my only opportunity to cook over fire. Cooking isn't manly without fire.
A day like today calls for bratwurst and saurkraut. Fifteen minutes until perfection. MMmmm!
In Germany my favorite activity on the warm, sunny days was to head down to this outdoor joint on the Danube. It was a one-trick shop, the waiters would simply ask you how many (brats) and what to drink. A couple of minutes later and you would be enjoying some of the finest brats you've ever had, while taking in the wonderful scenary of the world's most romantic river.
Edit: When my system finishes upstreaming, you'll be able to find a picture in my "Historic Regensburg" photo album.
Yes, Spring is finally arriving. Saturday was a wonderful day, mid-80s with clear skies, not too humid.
In the tradition of my "visits" to Florida from Germany, I went to the Fort Lauderdale strip in the afternoon for some people watching, beer, and conch fritters. Seems that we have a decent Spring Break happening this year, as there was no shortage of beautiful young women to be seen.
I love conch, and it's not something that I have the chance to eat very often. Having it with a tall draft of Honey Brown while surrounded by scantily-clad women makes it all the more enjoyable. The place I went to even had the good sense not to spoil my weissebier with a lemon slice.
Days like this make me believe that God does exist, and that she occasionally smiles upon me.
That reminds me that it is about time to make another batch of my own beer. You cannot fully appreciate fine beer until you have experienced the process of making it. Brewmasters South is the best way to do it in South Florida. For a reasonable price, they supply the ingredients and provide access to the equipment for making a 13.5 gallon batch, you supply the labor. Even factoring your time, it comes out cheaper than buying domestic bottled beer.
I'm hoping that my next set of tweaks will finally get my weissebier recipe on even footing with what I enjoyed while residing in Bavaria. Then I shall move on to Pilzner. I never much cared for that variety until I sampled some real Budweisser while visiting Prague. Yummy.
