Smoked Brats with Beer Onions Recipe (On Pellet Smoker)
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Smoked Brats are an outrageously delicious cookout or game day meal! Juicy, succulent sausages with the perfect combination of salty, smokey, and slightly spicy flavors. They’re a snap to make — after just a couple hours of smoking, you’ll have a family-sized serving of mouthwatering, juicy brats on the pellet grill!
If you’re bored with the usual hamburgers and hot dogs, it’s the perfect time to break out the bratwursts! Read on to learn how to smoke brats – it’s as easy as can be!
In my opinion, this is the best way to make uncooked brats.
I love the natural flavor that comes out when I smoke bratwurst, and everyone knows that our taste buds are our true tell.
This is one of my favorite recipes for a backyard party, and really does give the best flavor.
All that’s left for easy dinner recipes like this is to make sure that you have your favorite toppings on hand.
How can you have the best smoked brats without having the best brat buns and toppings to go with it?
Smoked Brats
Under a pile of toppings, or plated on its own with a side of smoked red potatoes or grilled corn, a filling and satisfying meal is guaranteed!
Each bite gives you a burst of juicy, peppery flavor that will keep you coming back for more!
If you’re plagued by brat cravings during the colder winter months while your smoker is closed and packed away, try this crockpot beer brats recipe!
And whether you’re smoking brats on the Traeger or cooking them in your slow cooker, you can fix ‘em up southwestern style in this recipe, inspired by my trip to New Orleans!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bratwurst – These sausages are most often made from ground pork or a blend of pork and beef.
Select the ones with a good ratio of fat or marbling, to keep them juicy and flavorful. - Yellow Onion and Bell Peppers – These are the basic veggies you’re going to want, but you can jazz things up with a variety of sweet or spicy peppers and onions.
Jalapeños and banana peppers would add a nice kick of spice to your smoked brats. - Beer – Any beer will work, but I recommend using a pale ale. Blue Moon and Allagash White are two of my favorites!
- Garlic Powder – It’s easiest to use powdered seasoning, but you can use freshly minced garlic if you’d like.
Since the meat will be resting in a bath of beer, veggies, and seasoning, it’ll take in all of the flavor just as well, if not better! - Paprika – I love using this fruity, peppery spice for smoking brats! Cayenne or New Mexico chili powder would add a bit more heat, if that’s what you’re after.
Preparing and Serving Brats on a Smoker
- Choosing the Right Wood Chips – Maple, oak, hickory, cherry, and pecan are my top recommendations.
Each has its own flavor and scent, so be picky and go with the wood or combination of woods you prefer when cooking brats on a pellet grill. - Bring Out the Best Toppings – All of our hot dog classics are on the table! Or should be, at least.
Ketchup and mustard are a must, and it never hurts to have relish and onions on the side. Peppers and cheese are uniquely delicious on smoked brats! - Some Great Ways to Serve – Sliced and diced, smoked brats will add a ton of flavor to any soup or stew. The same goes for pasta or rice dishes!
And while you can’t go wrong just serving them up on a hot dog bun, try slicing them longways and serving them on a sandwich with onions and peppers.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Once they’re cool, store leftover bratwurst in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for up to 4 days there, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Reheating
You have a couple of options for reheating.
If you want a bit of texture and crispiness to the exterior, throw them on the stovetop on medium heat – keep them moving so they don’t burn and stick!
Otherwise, pop them in a 350°F oven on a sheet pan until warmed through the center. Or, simply microwave in short bursts.
PRO TIP
Poke a couple of holes in the bratwurst casing so they explode in the microwave.
Smoking Brats FAQ
It takes about 2 hours to smoke brats at 225°F. I say “about” because it’ll vary depending on the thickness of your sausages, the model of your smoker, and the kind of wood chips you use.
The magic number is 160°F – that’s the temp your digital thermometer needs to read before your sausages are done cooking.
You want the entire cooking process to happen in the smoker.
That way, all of the cooked meat absorbs the flavors of the beer, vegetables, seasonings, and smoking wood chips.
Boiling beforehand prevents all of that good stuff from soaking into the brats on the smoker.
No – if you do this, you’ll allow the juices and fat inside the sealed sausage to escape. And that’s the last thing we want!
It’s all about the cooking process! A great brat is hot and juicy inside, with an outer layer that literally pops as you bite into it. Top that with some spicy brown mustard, yellow mustard, or BBQ sauce, and you have a good option to enjoy during the hot summer days. Let the flavor of the brats stand out!
A lot of people think that there isn’t much flavor in brats, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Using a hot grill or a pellet smoker is a simple way to help the flavor of bratwurst sausages stand out with a natural smoke flavor.
The good news is that you can pick up raw brats from the local butcher and then follow the simple steps on the recipe card below.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Smoker Recipes
Smoked Brats with Beer Onions Recipe (On Pellet Smoker)
Ingredients
- 5 brats, uncooked
- 1 yellow onion, cut into slices, ¼-inch thick
- 3 bell peppers, cut into slices, ¼-inch thick
- 24 ounces beer, see Notes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- Add the brats to an aluminum foil pan. Top with sliced onions and peppers.
- Sprinkle seasonings over vegetables and pour beer into the pan.
- Place the pan in the smoker and cook for 2 hours, tossing occasionally to coat the onions, peppers, and brats with beer.
- During the final 30 minutes of smoking time, remove brats from the pan and transfer them to the grate above the pan. The color of the brats will change to a smokey pink/red, indicating they are completely cooked.
- Serve on toasted buns with your favorite brat toppings.
Donna’s Notes
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 September 2022, updated and republished April 2024
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one tip of recipe is to poke hole into brats so they don’t burst then you direct to NOT poke holes into brat so they stay juicy make up my mind.
Hi Stubby,
As stated in the post no you do not poke holes in the brats while smoking, if you do you’ll allow the juices and fat inside the sealed sausage to escape. However When reheating these in the microwave it is recommended to poke holes so that they do not burst. Hope this helps!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
Hi Donna! Recovering alcoholic here of 30 years. Could I use chicken or beef stock in lieu of beer? Near beer isn’t an option either since there is still some alcohol in it. Thanks!
Congratulations on 30 years.
Any chef will tell you that the alcohol will cook off in the smoking process. However, beef stock is a perfectly acceptable substitution. Use salt free stock and adjust your seasoning as you go. Good luck.