Copycat Johnsonville Bratwurst Recipes

HOMEMADE BRATWURST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine spices. Sprinkle mixture evenly over meat; mix thoroughly. With the coarse blade of a food grinder, grind the meat with the spice mixture until well mixed. Use a medium stuffer for casings. Run cool water through casings, soak in water 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Attach sausage stuffer attachment to an electric mixer or food grinder. Using a 3 to 4-foot piece of the casing at a time, slip one end and then the remaining length of casing onto the medium or small stuffer tube. Using coast blade of grinder force sausage mixture through the tube till even with the tube opening. Pull off two inches of the casing and tie a knot. Fill the casing firm, but not too full, twisting casing when the links are 4 to 5 inches long. If desired, tie string at the twist. Wrap and chill at once. Cook soon, or freeze, for later use.

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Combine diced pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork. Form into 1-inch rounds. Refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

BEER BRATWURST

Steps:

• Place the pork and veal on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer to the freezer, and chill until crunchy on the exterior but not frozen solid (30 to 60 minutes).
• Pour the ale into a shallow baking dish, transfer to the freezer, and chill until the ale is semi-frozen.
• In a small bowl, add the salt, sugar, caraway seeds, mustard powder, thyme, ginger, nutmeg, and Cure No. 1 and stir to combine.
• Nest a large mixing bowl in a bowl filled with ice. Grind the meat through the small die (3/16-inch/4-mm) of the grinder into the bowl set in ice. Once all of the meat has been ground, pour the semi-frozen ale through the grinder, into the bowl, which will help push out any meat remaining in the feed tube or wrapped around the auger.
• Add the spice mixture to the meat and stir with your hands until well incorporated; the mixture will look homogenous and will begin sticking to the bowl.
• Spoon 2 tbsp of the meat mixture into a nonstick frying pan and spread into a thin patty. Cook the test patty over low heat until cooked through but not browned. Taste the sausage for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
• Press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you can vacuum-seal the mixture.
• Stuff the sausage into the hog casings and twist into links.
• Poach the links in water or lager-style beer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the sausage registers 145°F/63°C. The poached sausages can be grilled and then eaten immediately, or chilled fully in an ice bath and refrigerated, or frozen for longer storage. When you're ready to eat them, grill again or cook in a pan over medium heat until browned and heated through.

HOMEMADE BRATWURST

Steps:

• Cut the pork and beef into 2 inch cubes.
• Grind through a 1/4 inch grinding plate.
• If you do not have a meat grinder you can pulse it in your food processor in SMALL batches.
• In a small mixing bowl beat eggs and beer together until well blended.
• Add dry ingredients.
• In a large mixing bow combine the ground meat and wet mixture until well incorporated.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours, up to 24.
• The longer the better.
• At this point you can either stuff into casings or wrap in 1 pound packages which is what I do, then freeze.

JOHNSONVILLE BRAT HOT TUB

Steps:

• Prepare brats on a gas or charcoal grill according to package directions. When brats are cooked, remove from grill and place in foil baking pan. Place pan on grill, add beer, butter and onions. Over medium heat, on a covered grill, allow brats to simmer in beer and onions. Serve each brat with onions on a bun. Enjoy!