Grilled Beer Brats with Homemade Beer Cheese are seriously satisfying. Grilled beer brats are stewed in beer with onions and peppers, then topped with caramelized onions, homemade beer cheese and pretzel crumbles.
Grilled Beer Brats with Homemade Beer Cheese
Now that it's officially grilling season, we're kicking it off the right way with these AMAZING beer brats that are slowly simmered in beer (yes, beer!), then topped with onions that have been caramelized to perfection and a gooey homemade beer cheese (yes, beer again) that you can make right on your grill's side burner.
And please don't forget the pretzel crumbles! We want just a BIT of crunch factor here, and pretzels are just what we need, right?
The way that the pretzels compliment the grilled brats and beer cheese sauce is incredible and they really sends these bad boys over the top.
Ingredients in Grilled Brats with Beer Cheese Sauce
- Brats
- Light beer
- White onions
- Jalapeño peppers
- Olive oil
- Sugar
- Water
For the beer cheese sauce:
- Butter
- Flour
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Red pepper flakes
For serving:
- Toasted pretzel rolls
- Crushed pretzels
How to Make Grilled Beer Brats
Prepare. Fire up the grill to medium heat. Start by layering a baking dish with peppers and onions. Make sure to choose a dish that will be okay on the grill. Set the brats over the peppers and onions.
Add the beer. Pour the beer over the brats. You want to cover or mostly cover the brats in beer, so you may need more than one, or use a smaller container.
Simmer the brats. Next, shut the grill lid. Let the brats simmer in there for about 20 minutes, flipping them once about 10 minutes in. They will turn a whitish color.
It’s time to sear! Remove the baking dish and set it aside. Set the brats directly onto the hot grill grates and sear them a couple minutes per side, until you get those gorgeous dark grill marks.
How to Make Beer Cheese Sauce and Caramelized Onions
Make a roux for the beer cheese sauce. heat a small pot to medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour and stir, cooking about 5 minutes, to form a roux. Add 6 ounces of beer and stir to thicken.
Add the rest of the beer cheese ingredients. Swirl in the cream cheese and chili flakes, then add the cheddar cheese a bit at a time, stirring to incorporate, until it all melts together into a creamy beer cheese. You can add more beer or water if it hasn’t reached your desired consistency.
Caramelize the onions. Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Add your chopped onion and cook it down about 6-7 minutes, until it is nice and softened up. Add a bit of sugar and water and let it simmer until the moisture reduces and the onions are nicely caramelized, about 10 minutes more. Keep warm.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Pick a good beer. I like to use a lighter colored beer, but not TOO light, such a good cream ale or an IPA. The flavors from all the beer ingredients infuse the brats with flavor, so choose a beer that you love that has a lot of character.
- Use good quality brats. You can make your own brats - See How to Grind Your Own Meats to Make Sausages - or get your favorite brand. There are some really GREAT ones out there.
- It's easy to scale up. Just toss more brats into your dish that's going on the grill if you're feeding a crowd. Double the beer cheese and caramelized onions as needed.
- No beer? No problem. If you’d prefer to NOT cook with beer, use chicken or vegetable broth. The results will be similar, though not quite the same.
Storage
Here's the deal - once these grilled brats with beer cheese sauce are assembled, they need to be served right away. However, cooked brats that are cooled to room temp can be stored all by themselves in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the air fryer or stove top for the best bite!
Enjoy More of the Best Grilled Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Grilled Beer Brats Recipe with Homemade Beer Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 brats
- 18 ounces light beer – a cream ale is great
- 2 large white onions chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
FOR THE BEER CHEESE
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoons red pepper flakes
FOR SERVING
- Toasted pretzel rolls
- Crushed pretzels
Instructions
- Get the onions going first by heating the oil in a pan to medium heat. Add ¾ of the chopped onion and cook it down about 6-7 minutes, until softened. Add the sugar and water and let it simmer until the moisture reduces and the onions are nicely caramelized, about 10 minutes more. Keep warm.
- While the onions are cooking, set a pan onto your grill’s side burner and add the sausages. Add 12 ounces of beer to cover them. Add the remaining onions and jalapeno peppers. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates. Sear the sausages about 4-5 minutes per side, until they are nicely browned on all sides. The internal temperature should be 150 degrees F.
- For the beer cheese, heat a small pot to medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the flour and stir, cooking about 5 minutes, to form a roux.
- Add the remaining 6 ounces of beer and stir to thicken.
- Swirl in the cream cheese and add the cheddar cheese a bit at a time, stirring to incorporate, until it all melts together into a creamy beer cheese. You can add more beer or water if it hasn’t reached your desired consistency.
- Serve the brats on toasted pretzel rolls. Top with beer cheese, caramelized onions and crushed pretzels.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Rebecca J Hoffman says
What do you do with the onions and peppers you simmered the brats on?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Rebecca, they are very edible. You can discard them if you'd like, as they're really meant for additional flavor, or serve them with the brats. Delicious!!!
Jeremy says
I sautéed them in the beer with butter! Great easy side dish
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!
Greg says
I had a Brat battle and I did yours and and another that had the reverse step of grilling THEN soaking in a crockpot. They were both five stars. (Truth be told I love the having them simmer and people can just grab them whenever). Both just completely worked. This was my first Chili Pepper Madness recipe, I’ll be trying two more this weekend!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks! Off to buy more brats...