Beer Bratwurst

Classic German-style bratwurst sausages made with a blend of pork and veal, seasoned with aromatic spices and pale ale. These homemade sausages are perfect for grilling and offer an authentic taste of traditional bratwurst.

8 servings

14 hr 45 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•844 grams boneless pork shoulder
•362 grams boneless veal shoulder
•121 grams pale ale
•22 grams fine sea salt
•4 grams sugar
•2 grams caraway seeds
•1 gram dry mustard powder
•1 gram fresh thyme leaves
•1 gram ground ginger
•0.46 gram freshly grated nutmeg
•1 gram Cure No. 1
•1 package hog casings
•500 ml lager-style beer

Cooking Instructions

1.
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).
45 min
2.
Pour the ale into a shallow baking dish, transfer to the freezer, and chill until the ale is semi-frozen.
30 min
3.
In a small bowl, add the salt, sugar, caraway seeds, mustard powder, thyme, ginger, nutmeg, and Cure No. 1 and stir to combine.
5 min
4.
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.
20 min
5.
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.
10 min
6.
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.
5 min
7.
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.
720 min
8.
Stuff the sausage into the hog casings and twist into links.
30 min
9.
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.
20 min

Ingredients

•844 grams boneless pork shoulder

•362 grams boneless veal shoulder

•121 grams pale ale

•22 grams fine sea salt

•4 grams sugar

•2 grams caraway seeds

•1 gram dry mustard powder

•1 gram fresh thyme leaves

•1 gram ground ginger

•0.46 gram freshly grated nutmeg

•1 gram Cure No. 1

•1 package hog casings

•500 ml lager-style beer

Cooking Instructions

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).

45 min

Pour the ale into a shallow baking dish, transfer to the freezer, and chill until the ale is semi-frozen.

30 min

In a small bowl, add the salt, sugar, caraway seeds, mustard powder, thyme, ginger, nutmeg, and Cure No. 1 and stir to combine.

5 min

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.

20 min

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.

10 min

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.

5 min

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.

720 min

Stuff the sausage into the hog casings and twist into links.

30 min

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.

20 min