How to Grill Brats Like a Pro

by Joost Nusselder | Last Updated:  June 24, 2021

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The method you choose to grill a bratwurst depends on whether it’s fresh or already precooked. Preparing a precooked bratwurst is easy.

All you need to do is just heat it up and serve it.

However, if you are dealing with a fresh bratwurst, you will need to put in a little work and follow a set of how to grill brats instructions to get it ready.

how-to-grill-brats

First, it’s often advisable to separate the fresh brats from the precooked ones. Fresh brats should be cooked at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit which loosely translates to 71 degrees Celsius.

Grilling is a popular option when cooking bratwursts. The only challenge with it is that the beef will actually burn on the outside before the inside is cooked well enough.

But you can do a few things to prevent this. Normally, fresh or raw bratwursts are braised or poached in a flavored drink like beer before they are grilled.

This will allow the beef to cook and turn brown for a longer period of time without burning. In the end, there will be enough heat penetrating in the inside.

How to Grill Brats

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So, how do you go about this whole process? Well, easy step by step you can follow.

  1. Fire up your barbecue grill.
  2. Next up pour a small can of beer into a large pot or a pan.
  3. Make sure the pan has an ovenproof handle. Put the pot with beer inside the preheated grill. Take the beef, pierce it in several spots, and dip it into the pot.
  4. Let the meat simmer in the beer for about 15 minutes under medium heat. Keep turning it around so that each side is cooked.
  5. After 15 minutes, remove the bratwurst from the saucepan or pot. Let it cool for a few minutes and start grilling with your barbecue grill.
  6. Grill under medium heat until the meat turns brown. This normally takes about ten minutes. Make sure the beef is flipped over a number of times while grilling too so that each side is fully and evenly cooked.
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How Long to Grill Brats

Brats on Grill
Times 12 min approx.
Heat icon fireicon fire
Temp. 300 – 350°F

How Do You Cook Brats on a Propane Grill?

Brats should be grilled very slowly over medium heat when you use a propane grill, especially a cheap one. The heat should range between 300 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The internal temperature on the grill should be maintained at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. All this will take about 20 minutes.

How Do You Know When a Brat is Done?

If you are not a good or regular cook, knowing when the bratwurst is ready can be a bit hard. This is why you should just use timing. Start by getting a large pot with some beer, onions, and butter. Place the pot over medium heat, put in the beef, and let it simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Grill the beef after that for 10 to 14 minutes until it turns brown.

Do You Have to Boil Brats Before Grilling?

Do-You-Have-to-Boil-Brats-Before-Grilling

No, brats shouldn’t be boiled in beer or any other liquid for that matter before going to the grill. When you boil meat in liquids you take away a lot of its flavor. You can, however, boil the meat after grilling if you are cooking for a large crowd just to keep everything warm.

Can You Boil Brats the Day Before?

You can precook the brats in beer a day before. Just let the bratwurst simmer in a bottle or two of beer for 20 minutes. Once this is done, place the brats in a sealable plastic container and put them in the fridge.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Lakeside Smokers is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with BBQ Smoking (& Japanese food!) at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.