Slow Cooker Beer Brats Recipe with Onions + Video
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Crockpot Beer Brats are so easy to make that they’re sure to be on the menu year round! Prep in minutes, cook, and grill just before serving. Perfect for game day, these juicy brats are just waiting for your favorite toppings!
This recipe is a great way to get juicy bratwursts every time. It’s a simple meal and an easy dinner, and one that you can make with minimal prep work.
Check out how simple it is to make this easy recipe – you’re going to love it!
Crockpot Beer Brats
Start by slow cooking the meat in a mixture of beer and spices to create the most flavorful juicy sausages you have ever eaten.
Once they are done, toss your crockpot beer brats on the grill just long enough to infuse a smoky, caramelized flavor, then top with a healthy serving of savory onions.
Prefer regular beef sausages? You’ll love my homemade pretzel dogs dipped in beer cheese sauce or this baked chili dog recipe that makes plenty for guests.
And if you can’t get enough of that onion flavor, try this amazing French onion soup topped with cheesy baguette slices.
Slow Cooker Brats – Tips and Tricks
- Use a pale ale. I prefer Blue Moon, but feel free to use your favorite. Just avoid anything with a strong flavor since it will overpower the meat.
- Don’t poke holes! All of the delicious flavor will escape if you do. Since you are cooking brats in a slow cooker, you don’t need to worry about them bursting open.
- Feeding a crowd? Easily double or triple the recipe as long as your crockpot is large enough!
- Cook down the onions. This isn’t necessary, but it can concentrate the flavor and help thicken the liquid.
Leave the slow cooker on high with the lid off, or transfer to a saucepan and simmer on the stove.
Crock Pot Beer Brats Serving Suggestions
These are delicious with all of your favorite cookout sides! I even have this smoked brats recipe that is amazing!
I love to keep things simple with some corn on the cob, and you can make it in the air fryer, instant pot, a separate crock pot, or on the stove.
Or, throw together your choice of Southern style or German potato salad along with a tray of gooey mac and cheese to keep your guests full.
Beer Brats In Crock Pot FAQs
There is nothing that can replicate the flavor of the ale, but you could use a low sodium chicken broth instead if you don’t mind them tasting different.
Some readers have also had success with non-alcoholic varieties or a few cans of ginger ale!
You can’t make slow cooker beer brats recipe without the flavor of the beer, but you can use other brats and follow the simple steps of this easy slow cooker recipe.
If kept tightly wrapped or in a sealed container, the slow cooker brats should keep for up to 4 days.
While the options are endless for brats in a slow cooker, these are some common combinations.
Classic: Sauerkraut and spicy mustard. This traditional combination offers a tangy, flavorful contrast to the richness of the crock pot beer brats.
Caramelized onions: Slowly cook thinly sliced onions in butter or oil until they are soft and golden brown, adding a touch of sweetness.
Beer cheese sauce: Melt cheddar or another meltable cheese with some beer, mustard, and garlic for a rich, flavorful topping.
Grilled peppers and onions: Add some color and texture to your brats with a mix of grilled bell peppers and onions.
Chili and cheese: Smother your brats with chili and shredded cheddar cheese for a hearty, comforting dish.
Aside from just reheating and enjoying them the next day, you can chop them up and include them in plenty of other recipes.
Toss some into homemade chili or add a handful to your breakfast eggs. They’re delicious in soups and stews or layered into a grilled cheese sandwich too!
It’s all about simple ingredients! I love to put my cooked brats on either hoagie buns or hot dog buns and then add sweet onions, dijon mustard, or thick rings of onion slices and peppers.
If you’re making these for game day, have a big selection of toppings so that you can change the amazing flavor each time. Whatever you want to put on the top and outside of the brats is totally up to you!
This amazing recipe is versatile, and the toppings are a fun addition to this simple beer brat recipe. Crockpot recipes like this are a crowd pleaser no matter what! Grab your favorite condiments and have fun with this great recipe!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Slow Cooker Beer Brats Recipe with Onions + Video
Ingredients
- 6 original brats, I used Johnsonville
- 24 ounces beer (I used Blue Moon), 2 12 ounce bottles
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon course black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook for 2 hours on high heat, reduce heat to low. Remove brats from slow cooker. Grill brats (or toss in a skillet) until you have sear marks (which gives you that yummy grilled taste) and place back in slow cooker until ready to serve.
- Serve brats on a bun of your choice. Hoagie roll or big sesame seed buns are my favorite. Top with the crockpot beer onions and your favorite toppings (cheese, ketchup or mustard are our staples).
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2015, updated and republished April 2024
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I've got some brats that have been lingering in the freezer for awhile.They'll be in my crockpot soon trying this recipe. Pinned.
Awesome, Lea Ann! Let us know how it goes. Enjoy!
Have you doubled this? If so, did you double the beers too? I am trying this tomorrow. Thanks
Hi MsAnge,
I have doubled it. I also doubled the liquid, but if you are looking to save that beer you may be able to get by with just 3. Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
You mention to put on High for 2 hrs. And then turn to low, but how long on low?
Turn to low until ready to serve or serve immediately Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
Can this be made in an instant pot? If so, cooking directions please ! I am a total newbie with IP's and looking for recipes
How do you make crockpot beer onions?
"Crockpot beer onions" are the onions that are cooked in the beer along with the brats.
Have made this recipe a few times now. It has become our "go-to" brat recipe. My husband even prefers it over grilled.
Sometimes we put the crockpot beer onions in a pan and "fry" for a few minutes before topping our brats with them.
Would this recipe work with non alcoholic beer?
Also works with 2 bottles/cans of ginger ale.
Thanks
Want to make this for 50 people…my son's grad party. My crockpot's not big enough, so do you think an electric roaster would work? If so what temperature would I use and what would be the cooking time?
We grill our brats the night before a BIG party and then put them in an electric roaster with French onion soup the next day. Saves alot of time the day of the party. Yummy.
Making this now but used non alcohol beer and hot Italian sausages so I will leave out the salt, pepper and pepper flakes.
Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
This is just AWESOME! We used a different beer since we had it on hand but I'm sure Blue Moon would be amazing. Since it's winter we set the brats under the broiler and rotated a few times and they were perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you so much Hannah!! We are so happy you enjoyed it!
What other beer can you use, to substitute the blue moon beer
We grill the brats first That gets rid of excess grease. After grilling, we put them in the crockpot with lots of sliced onions, beer and mustard and let them cook on low till we are ready to eat them. Absorbs more of the flavor of the beer, onion and mustard and aren't greasy tasting.
Loved these. So tasty and moist. Definitely making more soon