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Sizzle and Smoke
Welcome to Bratwurst Boot Camp!

Traditional Sheboygan Double Brat
Mac and Brats
Spicy Cracked Black Pepper Brats

(Family Features) - Summer grilling season is saved! Barbecuers longing for the golden brown juiciness of a perfectly prepared bratwurst can now be happy campers. Why? Bratwurst Boot Camp is here to show grillmeisters the easy way to grilling a brat to its full-flavored, delicious perfection.

Backyard barbecuers recognize brats' unexpectedly flavorful taste compared to hot dogs and other less-flavorful options. When it comes to grilling, however, they need a few pointers before they graduate from Brat Boot Camp.

So, how do you grill a perfect brat? The perfect brat is cooked low and slow. That means low to moderate heat, for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, turning about every five minutes with long-handled barbecue tongs.

Once you've mastered the brat-grilling technique, you're on to trying these tasty wursts in a variety of ways, from sandwiches to casseroles to dinnertime entrees.

"Unlike a hot dog, you don't have to dress-up a brat because the great taste is all on the inside," said Mike Zeller, Corporate Developmental Chef at Johnsonville Sausage. "I get asked a lot, 'What are the best condiments to put on a brat?' I always say, 'the best thing to put on a brat, is your teeth.'"

For more information and hundreds of recipes, please visit www.johnsonville.com.

Brat Boot Camp 101

What is a brat?

Where did brats come from?

What city is the unofficial brat capital of the United States?

How do you know when you've mastered the art of grilling brats?

What's another word for bratwurst?

Answers:

A brat is a mildly seasoned, coarse-ground pork sausage.

Brats made their way to Midwestern America by German and Austrian immigrants hundreds of years ago. The tradition spread, particularly in Wisconsin by a local Austrian butcher named Ralph F. Stayer. His 100-year-old recipe was a hit and became the foundation for the number one bratwurst in America, Johnsonville Brats, started in Johnsonville, Wis.

Sheboygan, Wis., is the unofficial brat capital.

You've followed these six steps:

Avoid high flames that cause injury to sausage (and your neighbors!)

Use a clean grill to help reduce flare up (and impresses your friends and family)

Knowing it's OK to pre-cook, especially if this consists of a beer and onion bath

Cooking your brats slowly, on a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes

You've turned the brats once every five minutes or so (but only using tongs ... NEVER a fork!)

Realize when your brats are done cooking, because that golden-brown perfection is hard to taste if your brats are charred to a crisp. Remember, burning is not grilling!

Whether you call it a bratwurst, a brat, a wurst or a sausage, it all means the same thing: great taste!

Traditional Sheboygan Double Brat

2 Johnsonville fresh bratwurst, grilled
1 round hard roll, hoagie bun, or full-bodied crusty roll
1 slice onion, thinly cut
Dill pickle slices
Coarse-ground German-style mustard

Place two brats on round hard roll slathered with mustard. Top with onions and pickles.

Optional toppings: sauerkraut, sautéed peppers, caramelized onions, spicy mustard with horseradish

Mac and Brats
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grill time: 25 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

5 Johnsonville bratwurst
1 box macaroni and cheese
4 tablespoons butter
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup beer

Grill bratwurst and prepare macaroni according to directions. Melt butter in small saucepan on low heat. Add green onions and sauté lightly; pour in beer and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and add to macaroni. Add bratwurst, sliced 1/2-inch thick, and mix well.

Tip: Use light beer for a lighter taste or dark beer for a heavier taste. For cheesier flavor, add 2 ounces processed cheese in addition to cheese powder in macaroni.

Spicy Cracked Black Pepper Brats
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grill time: 40 minutes
Makes: 5 servings

1 package (19.76 ounces) Johnsonville Fresh Original Bratwurst Links
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch round slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium green pepper
1 medium sweet red pepper
1 medium sweet yellow pepper
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
5 hoagie rolls, split

Grill brats according to package directions. Brush onion slices with oil and grill over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side or until crisp-tender and golden. Cut onion slices in half; place in a large bowl. Grill whole peppers until skins blister, about 3 to 4 minutes, using tongs to rotate peppers until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place peppers in a bowl and cover or cool 30 seconds. Then place in a large resealable plastic bag and seal; let stand 10 minutes. Peel off and discard charred skin. Remove seeds. Slice peppers into 1/4-inch strips; place in bowl with onions. Add cracked pepper; toss gently.

Place 1 brat in each roll. Top with pepper and onion mixture. Serve hot.

SOURCE: Johnsonville