Page 32 - aruba-today-20171014

A32 FEATURE
Saturday 14 OctOber 2017

Don’t toss that old beer: Make some delicious bratwurst

By ELIZABETH KARMEL marks on the boiled sau- heat any leftovers the next BEER BRATS & APPLE erkraut substitutes grated
Associated Press sages. day or make them a day FENNEL SAUERKRAUT apple and fennel for the
When I first moved to Chi- Wanting to make sure what in advance for a tailgate. Servings: 8-10 traditional cabbage. The
cago from North Carolina, I she said was correct, I tried Just be sure to simmer the Start to finish: 30 minutes result is a fresher, sweeter
was amazed at the variety it both ways and she was hot sausages in the beer 8-10 pork bratwursts, un- alternative to ballpark sau-
of sausages. 100 percent right. right after you take them cooked. erkraut.
There were polish sausages, 1/2 stick unsalted butter. Serves: 8-10
bratwurst, bockwurst, Ital- 1 large white or yellow on- 1 large fennel bulb.
ian; sweet and hot, among ion, divided. 1 tablespoons olive oil.
others. At that time, the 2-3 bottles or cans of beer, 1 Large Vidalia onion,
sausage that I knew best whatever you drink. chopped.
was knackwurst which is 8-10 hoagie, pretzel or po- 5 Granny Smith apples,
smoked like a hot dog, only tato rolls. grated.
thicker and made from all Apple Fennel Sauerkraut, or 1/2 lemon, juiced.
beef. other favorite condiment. 1 1/2 tablespoons butter.
When I visited a German- 5-8 quart Dutch oven. 2 teaspoons caraway
style butcher shop in the seeds.
city, I was intrigued by the Preheat the grill. 1/2 cup hard cider or apple
uncooked, unsmoked sau- Melt the butter in the Dutch juice.
sages and couldn’t wait to oven or heavy duty sauce- Kosher salt and freshly
taste the “beer brats” as pan. Cut the onion in half ground pepper.
they are called in Chicago and cut into half-moon
and the Midwest. slices. Place in the bottom Clean and cut the fennel
I thought that my sausage of the Dutch oven and let bulb in long strips (julienne)
ignorance was just be- cook for about 5 minutes or and trim tops. Reserve furry
cause I was from the South until translucent. Add the leafy part that resembles
but often, even today, beer and bring to a simmer. dill and chop finely for later
when I mention my love of Set aside. use.
beer brats, people respond Meanwhile, remove brats Heat oil in heavy-bottomed
with a “what’s that?” from packaging and set in sauce pan over medium
Back then, I worked with a the center of the cooking heat, add onion and ko-
woman who was from an grate over indirect heat. sher salt. Cook until onion
old German family in Wis- Turn occasionally and let begins to brown, add strips
consin and she schooled cook for about 20 minutes of fennel, stir, and let cook
me on the correct way to or almost cooked through. I covered for about 5 min-
make beer brats. like to cook them until they utes or until fennel begins
She explained that you are a deep brown color. to wilt. Reduce heat to me-
grilled the uncooked brat- Remove from grill and dium-low.
wurst first over indirect heat This Sept. 17, 2017 photo shows bratwurst sausages simmered in place into the simmering Meanwhile, mix grated
until the sausage was bur- beer in Houston. This dish is from a recipe by Elizabeth Karmel. beer and onion mixture. apple with lemon juice and
nished brown and cooked (Elizabeth Karmel via AP) Bring the liquid back to a add to pan. Cover and
through. Then you remove gentle boil. Immediately cook, stirring occasionally,
them from the grill and Even though most peo- off the grill and then cool reduce the heat to very for 15 minutes. Add butter,
place them in a simmering ple boil the sausages and them and store them in the low and simmer with the lid mixing well. Add caraway
pot of beer. then grill them, a taste test refrigerator in the simmer- on for at least 15 minutes. seeds, reserved fennel tops
She made sure that I un- proves her theory right. ing liquid. The brats are now ready and hard cider or apple
derstood that most people You must grill first and sim- Serve the brats with your to serve directly from the juice. Cook for an addition-
make the mistake of sim- mer second for optimum favorite buns and condi- stockpot. If you are going al 5 minutes, uncovered.
mering the sausages first in flavor, texture and cara- ments such as potato rolls, to serve them later, turn off Season to taste with salt
beer and then grilling them. melization. Besides a better pretzel rolls, spicy mustard, the heat but leave them in and pepper.
If you do that, the flavor of flavor, this method is more grainy mustard, sauerkraut the liquid. Either refrigerate Remove from heat and let
the uncooked sausages convenient. or my favorite, Fennel Ap- or simmer them again just sit to allow the flavors to
melts into the simmering You can grill the brats in ple Sauerkraut for those before serving. mingle. The sauerkraut can
beer leaving the sausages advance and keep them looking for a tangy topping be made up to two days
tasteless, and it is almost warm in simmering beer for but don’t like traditional Apple Fennel Sauerkraut: in advance and kept cov-
impossible to get good grill 1-2 hours. You can even re- sauerkraut. The dressed-up mock sau- ered until ready to use.q