Tender Crockpot Beer Brats

Game day at our house means one thing: crockpot beer brats. I’ve been making these for years, and they never fail to make everyone happy. There’s something about the smell of brats cooking in beer that gets people excited for the meal ahead.

The best part? I can throw everything in the slow cooker hours before kickoff and forget about it. No standing over a hot grill or worrying about burning anything. Just set it and walk away. By the time friends start showing up, the house smells amazing and dinner is ready.

I’ve tried grilling brats plenty of times, but honestly, this crockpot method wins every time. The brats come out juicy and full of flavor. Plus, I can keep them warm in the slow cooker for hours without drying them out. Perfect for those long game days when people are eating at different times.

What Kind of Bratwurst Should I Use?

For this crockpot recipe, you’ll want to stick with plain pork bratwurst rather than pre-cooked varieties since the slow cooking process will cook them perfectly from raw. Fresh bratwurst from the butcher counter or meat department works best, but packaged ones from the refrigerated section are totally fine too. Avoid the pre-cooked bratwurst you find near the hot dogs, as they can get mushy when slow cooked for hours. If you can find authentic German bratwurst at a specialty store, that’s great, but regular grocery store pork bratwurst will give you delicious results.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can change up:

• Bratwurst sausages: If you can’t find bratwurst, Italian sausages or kielbasa work great too. Beer brats from the store are also fine – just skip the beer in the recipe since they’re already flavored.
• German lager: Any light beer will do the trick – think Budweiser, Coors, or whatever you have on hand. In a pinch, you can use chicken broth with a splash of apple cider vinegar for that tangy flavor.
• Sauerkraut: Fresh sauerkraut from the deli counter tastes better than canned, but either works. If you’re not a sauerkraut fan, try thinly sliced cabbage instead – it’ll cook down nicely.
• Gold potatoes: Red potatoes or even russets cut into chunks work just fine. Just keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
• Caraway seeds: These give that classic German flavor, but if you don’t have them, fennel seeds or even a pinch of dried thyme can work as a substitute.
• Mustard seed: Whole mustard seeds add nice texture, but you can use 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard instead if that’s what you have.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with crockpot beer brats is adding the beer too early, which causes all that good flavor to cook off during the long slow-cooking process – instead, add the beer during the last hour of cooking to keep that hoppy taste.

Another common error is not browning the brats first in a skillet, which gives you that nice caramelized exterior and prevents them from looking pale and unappetizing after hours in the crockpot.

Don’t forget to pierce the brat casings with a fork before cooking to prevent them from bursting, and make sure your potatoes are cut into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly with the sauerkraut.

Finally, resist the urge to lift the lid frequently to check on things – each peek adds about 15-20 minutes to your cooking time and can make your potatoes mushy.

What to Serve With Crockpot Beer Brats?

These hearty beer brats are perfect with some crusty German-style bread or pretzel rolls for soaking up all those amazing flavors from the sauerkraut and beer. I love serving them with a dollop of spicy brown mustard or whole grain mustard on the side – it really complements the caraway and mustard seeds in the dish. A simple coleslaw or cucumber salad helps cut through the richness of the sausages and adds a nice fresh crunch. And of course, don’t forget to crack open a cold German lager to match what you cooked with!

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Your crockpot beer brats will keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I actually think they taste even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld together. Just make sure to store everything together – the brats, potatoes, and sauerkraut all in the same container.

Freeze: This dish freezes nicely for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. The potatoes might change texture slightly after freezing, but everything still tastes great. I like to portion it out into individual servings before freezing for easy weeknight dinners.

Warm Up: To enjoy your leftovers, just heat them up in the microwave or warm them on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through. If you’re reheating from frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first. Sometimes I’ll throw the brats on the grill for a few minutes to get that nice crispy skin back.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1700-2000
• Protein: 60-75 g
• Fat: 100-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-120 g

Ingredients

For the main dish:

• 5 plain pork bratwurst links
• 1 lb sauerkraut
• 1 lb small golden potatoes, halved
• 2 small yellow onions, sliced
• 1 (12 oz) german-style lager

For the seasoning:

• 4 bay leaves
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds

Step 1: Sear the Bratwurst

• 5 plain pork bratwurst links
• a little oil for the skillet (not listed, but a tiny splash is needed)

Heat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot.

Add the pork bratwurst links and sear them, turning occasionally, until they are browned on all sides.

Once evenly browned, remove the bratwursts from the skillet and set them aside for the next step.

Step 2: Layer the Slow Cooker

• 1 lb sauerkraut
• 1 lb small golden potatoes, halved
• 2 small yellow onions, sliced
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds
• 5 seared pork bratwurst links (from Step 1)
• 1 (12 oz) German-style lager

In a slow cooker, layer the sauerkraut, halved golden potatoes, and sliced yellow onions.

Sprinkle in the bay leaves, peeled and smashed garlic cloves, mustard seeds, and caraway seeds.

Gently nestle the browned bratwursts from Step 1 into the sauerkraut mixture.

Pour the German-style lager evenly over everything to ensure the ingredients are well-moistened.

Step 3: Slow Cook Everything Together

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the bratwursts are cooked through and juicy.

I like to let the dish rest with the lid off for just a few minutes before serving; this allows the flavors to settle and meld beautifully.

Tender Crockpot Beer Brats

Delicious Tender Crockpot Beer Brats recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs 32 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 17 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 1850

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the main dish:

• 5 plain pork bratwurst links
• 1 lb sauerkraut
• 1 lb small golden potatoes, halved
• 2 small yellow onions, sliced
• 1 (12 oz) German-style lager

For the seasoning:

• 4 bay leaves
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds

Method

 

1. Heat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the pork bratwurst links and sear them, turning occasionally, until they are browned on all sides. Once evenly browned, remove the bratwursts from the skillet and set them aside for the next step.
2. In a slow cooker, layer the sauerkraut, halved golden potatoes, and sliced yellow onions. Sprinkle in the bay leaves, peeled and smashed garlic cloves, mustard seeds, and caraway seeds. Gently nestle the browned bratwursts from Step 1 into the sauerkraut mixture. Pour the German-style lager evenly over everything to ensure the ingredients are well-moistened.
3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the bratwursts are cooked through and juicy. I like to let the dish rest with the lid off for just a few minutes before serving; this allows the flavors to settle and meld beautifully.