It's Octoberfest Y'all

Ok, ok, I have sort of started to embrace my Midwestern life....well, maybe a Polish or German life really. I now love many things that are foreign to my upbringing. Merck's cheese spread, cheese curds, bratwurst, any sort of encased meat and italian beef (the list goes on) are sadly some of my favorite things to eat now. My obsession with bratwurst rivals my obsession with wine and with beef. I will say though that nothing satisfies more than a grilled brat. So the other night, I made this super easy 4-ingredient dinner. My husband had three servings of this. He loves any sort of grilled brat. Add sauerkraut, mustard, onion, and Giardinara and he is one happy man.

Try this recipe now. Feel free to use turkey sausage if you prefer, but those don't really make much of a rotation at my house. If using turkey, you may need to add some additional fat so they don't dry out on the grill.

Jarred sauerkraut and beer

Quickly grilled onions to add to the sauerkraut mixture

Grilled sausages on top of sauerkraut, onion and beer mixture. Be sure to nestle them down into the sauerkraut.

Grilled Sausage and sauerkraut. Serve with hot mustard and pickled hot vegetables.

Grilled Sauerkraut and Bratwurst (Potentially serves 6, but for us, 3 servings)*


6 Fresh Bratwurst
1 Onion (sliced)
1 28 ounce jar of sauerkraut
1 lager beer


*This can be made in the oven instead of the grill. Simply saute onion and sear sausages in a pan. Then pour sauerkraut in a oven safe casserole dish. Place browned sausages and onion on top of sauerkraut, pour beer in and bake for 30-60 minutes at 350.


1) Preheat grill. Make a medium sized fire with coals on one side
2) While you are waiting on the fire, quickly saute one onion in a little bit of EVOO. 
3) Place onions in a grill safe casserole dish. You can use a skillet too, but only copper, stainless steel or cast-iron. 
4) Cover with sauerkraut. Set aside until ready to go on the grill 
5) When the coals are ashy, place the sausages on the hotter pot of the grill
6) Monitor the sausages. Turn them when they begin the brown. Make sure they don't burn
7) When browned, simply place casserole dish on the hotter part of the grill. Add sausages on top of the sauerkraut and pour beer in. 
8) Make sure you sort of bury the sausages in the sauerkraut and beer mixture
9) Cover the grill
10) You may want to check to make sure that the mixture is simmering not boiling 
11) Cook for 30 minutes on a covered grill
12) Serve with mustard and Giardinara. YUMMERS!