Summer may be over, but there is no better time for grilling than the early days of Fall. Especially with NFL games every weekend. Sacrifice a beer this Sunday and cook up some brats and melted cheese for your friends. Or eat them all by yourself, just be sure to hit the treadmill during the week.
The ingredients are pretty simple, Grab an 8 0z bag of your favorite shredded cheese, an 8 oz slab of cream cheese, a crappy light beer or six, and of course the brats themselves. The materials you need are an all metal sauce pot and any type of grill.
The ingredients are pretty simple, Grab an 8 0z bag of your favorite shredded cheese, an 8 oz slab of cream cheese, a crappy light beer or six, and of course the brats themselves. The materials you need are an all metal sauce pot and any type of grill.
Feel free to drink the other 5 beers while you cook.
First empty the can of beer into the pot and throw the brats in. Slap the whole thing on the grill and leave it alone for around 10 minutes. Anywhere between 400 and 500 degrees F works for temperature. But I wouldn't go above 550.
After around 10 minutes the brats should be boiled enough to get a nice beer infusion. Using tongs pull them out of the pot and throw them on the grill. Now you can dump the shredded cheese into the beer pot with the cream cheese. You may want to slice up the cream cheese so it melts quicker. Keep an eye on the brats because they'll burn easily. Take them off the grill once they're nice and brown. Shouldn't take more than 3 or 4 minutes a side.
After the brats are done let the cheese simmer in there for a while. Try to take the heat down a little to around 425 F. Should take around 10 minutes after the brats are done. But make sure to check on it every few minutes and give it a stir with a ladle or something. Once it's done use a mitt to take the cheese inside. Make sure you don't have to walk far to the kitchen because you can easily get burned through the oven mitt. Cover the pot and put it on the stove with the lowest flame possible under it.
After that you are pretty much done. Just make sure nobody touches the pot because it will stay wicked hot for half an hour or longer. The cheese will be fine though. Ladle some out onto your brat or use it as a dip. Your finished product should like the pictures below. I added some red kraut to mine because I wanted to get in touch with the German side of my ancestry. I also heated up some leftover chili to top it. I sauteed the mushrooms and onions because I was tired of seeing them in the fridge.
This recipe is an easy and delicious addition to any NFL party or tailgate. If you're bold enough to keep the grill going until February you can make them for the Superbowl! Additionally this is a good recipe to experiment with. Adding some hot sauce to the cheese will give it a nice kick and a more appetizing appearance. Drop some hot peppers or spices in the pot while you're boiling the brats. Mess around enough and you can come up with a signature party dish that will get you invited to every Game Day party and tailgate. Even if you pass out at the pregame and wake up to puke at the after party every time.