Grilled Bratwurst with Onions and Peppers

by The Editors of America’s Test Kitchen
from Cooking for Two
(Boston Common Press, 2009)
Serves 2

On the surface, few things sound easier than grilling up a few bratwurst—all you need is bratwurst and a fire. Throw some onions and peppers into the mix and you’ve got an easy dinner for two. But we know from experience that nicely grilled bratwurst with juicy interiors can be an elusive goal. Fatty sausages drip grease onto the coals, causing flare-ups that can quickly turn exteriors into carbon while the insides remain barely cooked. The onions usually wind up mostly raw with a few charred spots. We wanted a foolproof grilling method that would cook the bratwurst to perfection, and we hoped to offer sweet peppers and caramelized onions as part of the bargain. We prefer bratwurst, but this recipe will work with any raw, uncooked sausage.—The Editors of America’s Test Kitchen

convert Ingredients
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
1 (8-inch square) disposable aluminum roasting pan
1 pound bratwurst (about 2 links)
2 hot dog buns, toasted

Want it? Click it.

Method
1. Combine the onion, salt, and pepper in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent at the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking (be careful of the steam). Transfer the onion, along with the bell peppers, to the disposable aluminum baking pan. Place the sausages in a single layer on the vegetables and cover the pan tightly with foil.

2a. For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom grill vents completely. Light a large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (100 briquettes; 6 quarts). When the coals are hot, pour them in an even layer over the grill. Set the cooking grate in place, cover, and open the lid vents completely. Heat the grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

2b. For a gas grill: Turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes. (Adjust the burners as needed to maintain a hot fire.)

3. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Place the disposable pan in the center of the grill, cover the grill, and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Slide the pan to one side of the grill and carefully remove the foil. Transfer the sausages and peppers directly to the cooking grate and cook (covered if using gas) until the sausages are well browned on all sides and the peppers are spottily charred, 5 to 7 minutes, turning them as needed. Transfer the sausages to a platter and tent loosely with foil. Transfer the peppers to a carving board and cut into 1/4-inch strips.

5. Cover the grill and continue to cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Return the sliced peppers to the pan with the onion and serve with the sausages in buns.

Variations
Grilled Bratwurst with Onion and Fennel
Follow the recipe for Grilled Bratwurst with Onion and Peppers, omitting the red bell peppers and adding 1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and sliced thin, to the bowl with the onion before microwaving in step 1.

Grilled Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Apples
Follow the recipe for Grilled Bratwurst with Onion and Peppers, omitting the onion and red bell peppers. Combine 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, 1 cup drained sauerkraut, and 1/8 teaspoon dried sage in the disposable pan (do not microwave). Place the sausages in a single layer on top of the sauerkraut mixture and cook as directed in step 4. Omit step 5 and serve the sausages with the sauerkraut mixture after the sausages are browned.

Recipe © 2009 the Editors of America’s Test Kitchen. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.