The almighty Brat!

Bratwurst, aka: Brats What are they?  A glorified hot dog?  No.  Those over priced, greasy things you can get at the fair with peppers and onions? Yes and no.  A Bratwurst is basically ground pork, mixed with seasonings, put inside a casing, grilled or smoked, and typically eaten on a bun with ketchup, mustard, and relish.  There are many different kinds of bratwurst available, but the traditional one gets the most credit.

I will admit that until recently I would not have put Bratwurst and delicious in the same sentence.  However, that was before my husband introduced me to the wonderful world of sausages, which includes brats. To me brats were chunky, over sized, spicy meat things that held no appeal to me.  What you have to understand is that my husband is of German decent and LOVES bratwursts.  Because of this I really wanted to figure out how I could make him a food he loves and learn to enjoy them myself.  There were two thing became perfectly clear early on; no two brats are the same and some are actually pretty darn good! 

I will admit that it has taken a few years to learn which brats I like and which ones I don't.  This became very apparent to me tonight as we sat down to enjoy the brats that I brought back from Kern's Sausages in Frankenmuth, MI.  As I prepared my brat I was amazed to find that I wanted to try it with just ketchup and relish.  As I took the first bit I found myself enjoying the complex flavors of the brat and the nice accent of the ketchup and relish.  Even just a few years ago this would not have been the case.  Until recently the only brat I would eat was a cheddar brat, smothered and I mean smothered in ranch dressing or if it was available potato salad.  I have found though that if I have a really good brat I don't have to hide the flavors as much.  So, whether you like your brats boiled in beer and then grilled, smoked or just grilled low and slow, make sure to try all different brands and types.  You maybe surprised to find one that you really enjoy! 

My suggestion would be to try Kern's Sausages.  They have a great flavor that doesn't over power, but allows a beautiful symphony to play across your tongue.  If you get the chance to go to Frankenmuth, MI be sure to stop into their store or check out their website http://www.kernssausage.com/ they carry some wonderful products at very reasonable prices!


Grub's on!