ONLINE EXTRA: Bratwust recipes

Chipotle Brats with Grilled Peppers and Onions

1 red bell pepper

1 red onion, thickly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 links chipotle or regular bratwurst

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Place the pepper in the glowing coals if possible, turning with tongs until all sides are blackened, about 10 minutes. Enclose in paper bag; let rest 10 minutes.

Drizzle onion slices with olive oil. Grill bratwurst and onion slices, turning often, until links are browned and cooked through and the onions begin to caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the red pepper from the bag; peel off blackened skin. Core; remove seeds. Cut pepper into strips. Place in a bowl. Remove onion from grill; chop. Toss with peppers. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Serve brats with peppers and onions.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 754 calories, 77 percent of calories from fat, 64 grams fat (14 grams saturated), 177 milligrams cholesterol, 13 grams carbohydrates, 29 grams protein, 2,218 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Grilled Brats with Riesling-Mustard Kraut and Poppy Seed Buns

4 bratwurst

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil

½ onion, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ cup riesling

1 16-ounce package refrigerated sauerkraut, rinsed

¼ teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper

4 poppy seed or other buns

Prepare grill for direct cooking. Cut lengthwise almost through bratwurst. Grill, turning often with tongs, until cooked through and browned, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat butter in large skillet. Add onion; cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard. Stir in riesling; cook to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut, salt and pepper. Heat through. Place cooked bratwurst in buns; top with sauerkraut.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 495 calories, 61 percent calories from fat, 34 grams fat (14 grams saturated), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 1,885 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams protein, 4.5 grams fiber.

Beer and Bratwurst

4 pairs beer and bratwurst and or Kielbasa

4 teaspoons butter

Small bay leaf

Heaping tablespoon minced onions

2 to 3 cups (1 to 2 cans) beer

2 tablespoons flour

Prick bratwurst on both sides, put in skillet with enough boiling water to cover. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Drain water. Add 2 tablespoons butter and brown bratwurst. Add beer and some water to cover bratwurst, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes. Remove cover and burn off about ½ of liquid. In different pan: melt 2 tablespoon butter and saute onions to brown. Blend in flour until the color of cocoa. Add to simmering ale and blend until smooth and thick. Serve.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Bratwurst and Cabbage

1 to 2 pounds bratwurst sausage

4 medium potatoes

2 medium carrots

1 small onion

½ head medium cabbage

Cook bratwurst, covered for 20 minutes; brown, drain. Peel and quarter potatoes, carrots and onions. Cube cabbage. Place potatoes, carrots and onion in large pot; cover with water. Layer cabbage and sausage on top. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Yield: Serves 4.

Bratwurst and Potatoes

1 pound fully cooked bratwurst

2 large potatoes, paired and diced

1 cup water or beef broth

2 apples, pared and diced

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

Combine bratwurst, potatoes and water or broth in wide skillet or saute pan, simmer until water evaporates and potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes). Add apples to pan. Push brats, apples and potatoes to one side, sprinkle sugar over a portion of skillet. Stir over high heat until sugar caramelizes. Add butter and stir with potatoes and apples. Sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.

Grilled Bratwurst

1 12-ounce can beer

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

Several drops hot pepper sauce

6 bratwurst

Mix marinate ingredients together in skillet. Simmer bratwurst in mix for 20 minutes. Grill over medium fire until browned. Return to marinade to keep warm until serving. Serve on French roll with sauerkraut relish.

Yield: Serves 6.

Grilled Bratwurst with Onions and Beer

6 bratwurst, fresh

1 large onion

12 ounces can of beer (optional, can use water)

Preheat grill. Peel onion and slice thin.

Combine bratwurst and onion in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cover bratwurst and onion with beer and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 to 12 minutes, turning bratwurst frequently. Add additional beer if needed. Onions should become soft and golden brown in color.

Place bratwurst on grill over medium heat for 15 minutes or until browned, turning frequently. Use tongs for turning to prevent piercing the skin of the bratwurst.

If not serving immediately, return to onion and beer mixture on stove and simmer until ready to eat. Serve the onions with the bratwurst.

Yield: Serves 6.

Grilled Bratwurst with Onions and Peppers

1 large onion, halved and sliced thin

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered

1 8-inch square disposable aluminum roasting pan

1 pound bratwurst (about 2 links)

2 hot dog buns, toasted

Combine the onion, salt and pepper in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent at the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking (be careful of the steam). Transfer the onion, along with the bell peppers, to the disposable aluminum baking pan. Place the sausages in a single layer on the vegetables and cover the pan tightly with foil.

For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom grill vents completely. Light a large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (100 briquettes; 6 quarts). When the coals are hot, pour them in an even layer over the grill. Set the cooking grate in place, cover, and open the lid vents completely. Heat the grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

For a gas grill: Turn all the burners to high, cover and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes. (Adjust the burners as needed to maintain a hot fire.)

Clean and oil the cooking grate. Place the disposable pan in the center of the grill, cover the grill, and cook for 10 minutes.

Slide the pan to one side of the grill and carefully remove the foil. Transfer the sausages and peppers directly to the cooking grate and cook (covered if using gas) until the sausages are well browned on all sides and the peppers are spottily charred, 5 to 7 minutes, turning them as needed. Transfer the sausages to a platter and tent loosely with foil. Transfer the peppers to a carving board and cut into ¼-inch strips.

Cover the grill and continue to cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Return the sliced peppers to the pan with the onion and serve with the sausages in buns

Yield: Serves 2.

Bratwurst with Apple Kraut

4 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced. (3 cups )

27-ounce can sauerkraut, drained and snipped

1 pounds bratwurst links, halved crosswise

¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seed

In a crockery cooker, stir together all ingredients. Stir in ¼ cup water. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Yield: Serves 6.