May 23, 2008 I was thinking about cooking some bratwurst on my small George Foreman indoor grill today. I cannot find the recipe book that came with it. For the standard size Johnsonville Brats.
Bratwurst is a type of sausage with origins in German cuisine. The types of ground meat commonly used in making brats are veal and pork. Some brats have a combination of both meats. The basic seasoning blend includes salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Though, bratwurst makers will often add other seasonings and perhaps some fresh herbs, such as parsley. The meat and seasoning mixture is piped into natural casings, generally pork casings.
Bratwurst can be found either raw or pre-cooked. Once cooked or heated they are generally served inside a crusty hot dog style roll with toppings. The toppings commonly include mustard, grilled onions, and sauerkraut. A Wisconsin style bratwurst is sometimes topped with a locally made cheese sauce.
The preparation of bratwurst varies. Raw brats can be grilled, boiled, steamed, or braised. Pre-cooked ones are often pan seared, grilled, or even heated in a micro wave. A very common method in the Upper Midwest of the United States is to braise raw brats in beer, then finish them off on a grill. That is my favorite preparation, and the one in the recipe below. I braise on the stove top and then finish them off on a George Foreman Basic Grill.
I also keep some pre-cooked veal bratwurst in my freezer for a quick meal. I always have lacto-fermented sauerkraut and brown mustard in my refrigerator to have with the brats. I will take the brats out of the freezer in the morning to thaw. I poke a couple of holes in the casings with a fork and grill them on my GF basic grill with some olive oil for approximately 6 minutes until the casings are browned and bubbly. I rotate every 2 minutes to ensure even browning.
You can cook raw brats on a Foreman Grill. It takes quite a bit longer, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The goal is to get the brats up to an internal temperature of 165째F. You will need to check with a reliable meat thermometer. Also, keep an eye on the fat that will build up in the drip tray when using fresh brats.
Beer Braised & Grilled Bratwurst Sandwiches
Total time:35 min – Prep time:5 min – Cook time:30 min – Serves:4 people
Ingredients:
- 4 raw bratwursts
- 12 ounces of beer
- 1 large Vidalia onion sliced into 1/4″ thick rounds
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 crusty hot dog rolls or French baguette cut into hot dog sized portions
Toppings:
- Brown mustard
- Sauerkraut
- Beer cheese (recipe below)
Directions:
1. Poke the bratwurst with a fork to just break the casings a bit. In a deep skillet, place half of the onion slices, bratwurst, caraway seeds, and the beer. Bring the beer to a boil and turn the heat down to a rolling simmer. Simmer the brats for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off the braised brats and allow them to sit in the braising liquid while you move on to step 2.
2. Preheat your George Foreman Grill to high. Brush 1 TBS of the EVOO on the grill plates. Grill the remaining onion slices until just charred with grill marks on both sides. Set the onions aside to serve as a topping.
3. Remove the bratwurst from the liquid to paper towels to dry off. Discard the braising liquid. Coat the grill plates, or the bratwurst, with the remaining tablespoon of EVOO. Place the brats on the grill, close the top, and grill for approximately 6 minutes rotating every 2 minutes for even browning. Remove the brats to a plate.
4. Open the rolls or slice open the bread pieces. Place these on the grill and toast lightly in the bratwurst drippings. You may have to do this in 2 batches.
5. Serve the bratwurst inside the rolls with your desired toppings.
Beer Cheese
Total time: 10 min – Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (black is fine also)
- 1/2 cup beer or ale (not lite beer)
- 2 tsps hot sauce
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended and smooth.
2. Serve over your bratwursts. You can warm this up so that it pours over the brats.
Completing the Meal
A bratwurst sandwich is a filling meal all by itself. However, there are some traditional sides that are often served with bratwurst. One is a German style potato salad with bacon and a vinaigrette. Another great side is a crisp red cabbage and apple slaw. Serve a large bowl of salted potato chips and dill pickle spears. An obvious choice of beverage is a good quality beer. Non-alcoholic beer is fine and lemonade for the kids.
This is a fun backyard afternoon feast. You can certainly braise the bratwurst ahead of time, or even the day before. Just store them in the refrigerator before grilling. Allow them to come to room temperature before finishing them off on the grill. You can easily use an Indoor/Outdoor Grill if you want to cook a larger batch of brats all at once. Just grill the bratwurst a couple of minutes longer, rotating often.
Are you curious about cooking bacon on your George Foreman Grill? Traditional pork bacon has quite a bit of fat. Therefore, it makes sense that a Foreman contact grill is a convenient and healthy tool for preparing bacon. The grease splatter is contained when the top is closed and the excess fat ends up in the drip tray. The result is flat, crispy, leaner bacon strips, and less of a mess on your stovetop. What’s not to like about that result?
Bacon is one of those foods that every meat eater seems to enjoy and even crave. I have even known a few vegetarians who occasionally indulge in a slice of bacon at the breakfast table. The salty, crunchy treat is hard to pass up.
When you shop the prepared meat section of your market you may notice that there are endless brands and variations of bacon to choose from. The most common variety is cured and smoked pork bacon. Cured bacon is preserved with what is referred to as pink salt. This is basically salt that contains nitrates and nitrites. The smoking process can be either a cold or hot smoke method. The nitrates prevent bacterial overgrowth and contribute to bacon’s pink color.
Many of us are not fond of nitrates. You can easily find bacon that is labeled “uncured”. Uncured bacon is a misnomer because bacon is still cured with salt, mainly celery salt, sugar, and spices. And, there are naturally occurring nitrates in the curing process. You can also find bacon sourced from organic and sustainably raised pigs. These are good options for those who are being mindful of what they eat and the environment.
If you thought pork was the gold standard for bacon, think again. Of course, there is lean turkey bacon available. There is also beef bacon, duck bacon, lamb bacon, and even salmon bacon. The latter 4 are more commonly found in specialty markets and butcher shops.
For this article we are exploring grilled pork bacon and grilled turkey bacon. We will look at a couple of ways to grill the bacon and what to do with it, other than just eat it right off the grill. Don’t be surprised if it never makes it to the table. Grilled bacon is that good!
If the bacon does not disappear, make a grilled bacon and avocado sandwich. A recipe follows.
Perfect Grilled Pork Bacon
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of pork bacon slices
Total time:13 min – Prep time:5 min – Cook time:8 min – Serves:4 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Make sure the drip tray is in place. Have paper towels ready for the cooked bacon.
2. Place as many bacon slices as will fit in a single layer on the grill. If they fit, place them horizontally to get some nice grill marks. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Check the bacon and continue to grill if needed. You can also flip the slices halfway through the cooking if your grill does not cook evenly.
3. Remove the cooked bacon to the paper towels. Empty the drip tray. Cook the next batch of bacon until all of it is grilled. You can keep the batches warm in a low oven, if desired.
Grilled Turkey Bacon
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of turkey bacon slices
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for the grill
Total time: 15 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 10 min – Serves: 4 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Make sure the drip tray is in place. Have paper towels ready for the cooked bacon.
2. Coat the grill plates with EVOO. Place as many bacon slices as will fit in a single layer on the grill. If they fit, place them horizontally to get some nice grill marks. Close the lid and grill for 5 minutes. Flip the slices and continue to grill for up to 10 minutes total.
3. Remove the cooked bacon to the paper towels. Recoat the grill plates with EVOO and cook the next batch of bacon until all of it is grilled. You can keep the batches warm in a low oven, if desired.
Grilled Candied Bacon
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of your favorite bacon slices
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsps freshly ground black pepper
Total time: 13 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 8 min – Serves: 4 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Make sure the drip tray is in place. Have paper towels ready for the cooked bacon.
![George Foreman Grill Cooking Times Bratwurst Nutrition George Foreman Grill Cooking Times Bratwurst Nutrition](http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x285/newscouts/new_sausage/brats6_zps25e9b6ee.jpg)
2. Place the bacon slices on parchment paper or foil in a single layer. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and pepper. Coat the bacon with 1/2 the sugar mixture. Flip the bacon slices over and coat the other side with the remaining sugar and pepper.
3. Place as many bacon slices as will fit in a single layer on the grill. If they fit, place them horizontally to get some nice grill marks*. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Check the bacon and continue to grill if needed. You can also flip the slices halfway through the cooking if your grill does not cook evenly.
*Keep in mind that sugar will caramelize and char when in contact with high heat. The grill marks will be black. If that does not appeal to you, partially cook the bacon before placing the sugar and pepper on it. Then, return the sugared slices to the grill and finish cooking until the coating is caramelized and the bacon is thoroughly cooked.
4. Remove the fully cooked bacon to the paper towels. Empty the drip tray. Cook the next batch of bacon until all of it is grilled. You can keep the batches warm in a low oven, if desired.
5. Serve the bacon all by itself as a crunchy, sweet snack.
Grilled Bacon and Avocado Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 4 slices whole grain sandwich bread
- 3 TBS softened butter
- 4 tsps mayonnaise
- 4 slices cheese (mozzarella, Monterey jack, or mild cheddar are nice)
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 8 slices grilled bacon
- 2 slices from a large, ripe tomato
Total time: 8 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 3 min – Serves: 2 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed.
2. Butter one side of all 4 pieces of bread. Turn the bread over so that the unbuttered sides face up. Spread the 4 slices of bread with mayonnaise. Assemble each sandwich with these layers: one slice of cheese, 1/2 the slices of avocadoes, 4 bacon slices (broken in half), 1 slice of tomato, and another slice of cheese. Top with the second slice of bread.
3. Place the sandwiches on the hot grill and close the top. Cook for 3 minutes until the cheese has started to melt and the bread is golden brown with some light grill marks.
4. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve with chips, fries, or slaw.