Two-Step Beer Brat Sliders With Mustard

Beer brats, a specialty of Wisconsin—where Matt Moore's wife is from—are first poached in a mix of beer and onions, then finished on the grill over direct heat for a crispy char. (Andrea Behrends and Helene Dujardin)

2-Step Beer Brat Sliders With Mustard

My wife, Callie, hails from Wisconsin, so I’ve had my fair share of brats. When we first met, her friends and family had me confused, inviting me over for a barbecue, yet serving me brats. Over the years I’ve been able to convince her crew that they are in fact grilling out, and not barbecuing. 

True Cheeseheads will tell you to first plunge the brats in a mixture of beer and onions, poaching them over the fire until just cooked through—a technique that helps them soak up more delicious flavor while keeping them juicy. After that, it’s all about getting that crispy char on the exterior, something you’ll easily achieve over direct heat. Serve the sliders with plenty of tangy mustard and a cold beer, of course.

Makes 6 sliders

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

• 1 large (11-ounce) sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle pale lager beer (such as Moosehead)
• 2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 (4-ounce) bratwurst links
• 6 (2-ounce) mini hoagie rolls (such as King’s Hawaiian mini sub rolls), split and lightly grilled

Stir together the onion, thyme, beer, mustard, vinegar, honey, and salt in a cast-iron skillet; submerge the bratwurst links in the mixture.

Open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with charcoal. When the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of the grill. Adjust the vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 350 degrees to 400 degrees F. (If using a gas grill, preheat to medium [350 degrees to 400 degrees F].)

Place the skillet with the bratwurst mixture on unoiled grates in the center of the grill. Grill, covered, until the bratwursts are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Remove the bratwursts from the skillet; set aside. Move the skillet to the perimeter of the grill and cook the onion mixture, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat; remove and discard the thyme.

While the onion mixture cooks, place the bratwursts directly on oiled grates. Grill, uncovered and turning occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Slice each bratwurst in half crosswise at an angle.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the onion mixture into each split roll; top with a bratwurst half and a dollop of mustard. Arrange brats on a serving platter. 

Recipe excerpted from “Serial Griller: Grillmaster Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection,” copyright 2020 by Matt Moore. Photography copyright 2020 by Andrea Behrends and Helene Dujardin. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.