Brat is a kind of food making people confused with other types of sausage, but they are quite different in both ingredients and processing. There are several ways to cook brats, such as roast, grill, brown, or steam. However, the most accurate way to cook brats is by boiling them first. So let’s find out “Why do you boil brats before grilling?” Sunset Bar and Grill will help you have the best brats.
Boil brats before the grill
Why do you boil brats before grilling?
To be sure that brats are cooked wholly is the primary reason for boiling them ahead since brats need more time to be thoroughly cooked. Besides, this is the best method for you to keep the meat inside moist and juicy while grilling or browning.
In fact, there are a lot of ways to grill brats perfectly. Nevertheless, it is not as simple as you think, like just firing up the grill and putting them on. Since this fresh sausage is made with raw meat, it takes a lot of time to be completely cooked.
In case you don’t boil or simmer the brats first and only grill them directly over medium-high heat, your meat will get grey and brown in a very short time. Is it wholly cooked? No, they are cooked outside but the meat inside is still undercooked.
Undercooked brats
Another thing you must notice is that the casing will be burned when you fire up too high. At the same time, your brats aren’t juicy anymore.
So, instead of grilling the brats first, you can simmer or boil them with beer and some slices of onion to make them much more succulent and delectable. It will be full of juicy inside as well as crispy outside when grilled. This method allows you to control and know when your brats are ready to serve.
What is brat casing made of?
Many people still wonder what material the brat casing is made of, it is only a thin film but with high toughness. Previously, this shell was the intestine of a young pig, but thanks to the development of technology, people made a new thinner and tougher casing which is collagen casing.
Currently, on the market, there are many types of collagen brat casings, but they are divided into two main types: natural shells and artificial shells. These brat casings often have different characteristics.
Natural collagen casings
Natural brat casings are usually the young intestines of animals. These are also composed mainly of natural collagen. The natural casing has been used in the production of meat specialties for centuries and hardly changes the shape or composition of the product.
Compared with mass-produced products, brats with natural collagen casing are often unequal in size. This is also a sign to identify the product.
Artificial collagen casings
Artificial brat casings are made of collagen (usually derived from cowhide). Collagen shells are produced mainly from the collagen in beef or pork skin and bones and tendons. It can also be derived from poultry or fish.
Artificial collagen sausage casings are usually softer than natural ones. Most collagen casings are edible, but a special form of thicker collagen shells is used for salami and large brats. With these products, users need to peel the skin before eating.
The artificial collagen casing also allows for better control of sausage weight and size. It also allows for easier stuffing. This is also the reason why this type of shell is becoming more and more popular in the market today.
How long do you boil brats?
The boiling time depends on your brats: fresh or frozen ones. It takes you only 15-20 minutes to boil fresh brats. After that, you can put your meat on the grill with a layer of olive oil. It is all your fault if you try to push the process with high heat. The casing will split when they are in too much heat, which causes the juices to spill out.
Place the brats on the grill
Yet your brats are frozen, you need to thaw them for at least some hours before processing. Or you can leave brats in the water, it helps to defrost faster. In case you don’t have much time, you can boil the frozen brats immediately. You can do this but it is not a recommended way. Just remember, the more time brats defrost, the less time we need to boil.
How to cook brats accurately
Boil brats and grill
- Thaw brats if they are wholly frozen.
- Simmer beer with some onion slices and then filter out.
You just use a small amount of beer, don’t overuse it. It can make your brats worse.
- Boil the brats with the cooking water for some minutes.
Remember to boil them over medium-low heat. Until the brats turn gray instead of pink in color.
- Start to grill
Remove the brats and put them on a grill over high heat. Keep grilling them until they turn golden brown.
- Serve your brats with some side dishes
You can eat brats with any type of dish you want. Just in case, I will give you some recommendations such as a big bun, potato salad, sweet potato salad, baked beans, grilled corn, fried cabbage…
Perfectly cooked brats
Grill brats without boiling
There is only one step to do place your brats on and grill them.
However, you have to remember these tips to make thoroughly grilled brats:
- Begin with medium-low heat and gradually go high
As I mentioned, you can’t grill brats over high heat at first. You should grill them slowly at a low temperature. It takes around 15 minutes to make the inside of your breasts done, then you can increase the heat to sear.
- Soak in beer
If you don’t like to spend time simmering or boiling the brats with beer, just soak them for a few minutes. Beer helps your brats be more succulent.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you have to boil brats before grilling?
No. As I showed you another way to cook your brats and no boiling is needed. You just need to lower the heat of the grill and raise the cooking time.
- How do you know the brats are wholly cooked?
If you assure your brats are boiled before or cooked in the proper condition, they are perfectly cooked when they aren’t pink anymore and the casing looks grey on both sides and golden brown at some points.
Final Thoughts
In this article, I showed you some reasons for the question “Why do you boil brats before grilling?”. Besides, it also involves some methods for you to cook the brats properly. I hope you can make your perfect brats for your families and friends.
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