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 to Look for When Buying Bratwurst

Stick with plain pork bratwurst rather than pre-cooked varieties. The slow cooking process will cook them perfectly from raw, so there is no need to start with anything pre-cooked.

Fresh bratwurst from the butcher counter or meat department works best, though packaged ones from the refrigerated section are completely fine too.

Avoid the pre-cooked bratwurst found near the hot dogs. These tend to go mushy after hours in the slow cooker.

If you can find authentic German bratwurst at a specialty store, that is a great option, but regular grocery store pork bratwurst will give you equally delicious results.

What to Substitute if Needed

Most of the ingredients in this recipe can be swapped out without affecting the final result. Here is what works well:

• 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.

Things to Avoid While Cooking

Add the beer during the last hour of cooking, not at the beginning. Adding it too early causes the flavor to cook off completely, leaving you with very little of that hoppy taste by the time the dish is done.

Browning the brats in a skillet before they go into the crockpot is a step worth taking. Skipping it leaves them looking pale and unappetizing after hours of slow cooking.

Pierce the brat casings with a fork before cooking to stop them from bursting, and cut your potatoes into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate as the sauerkraut.

Resist lifting the lid while everything is cooking. Every time you check, you add around 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time and risk ending up with mushy potatoes.

What to Serve on the Side

• Crusty German-style bread or pretzel rolls for soaking up the flavors from the sauerkraut and beer
• Spicy brown mustard or whole grain mustard on the side, which complements the caraway and mustard seeds in the dish
• A simple coleslaw or cucumber salad to cut through the richness of the sausages and add a fresh crunch
• A cold German lager to match what you cooked with

Storing Your Beer Brats

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.