Johnsonville Brats - cooking time?


 
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Rita Y

TVWBB Emerald Member
Well, I finally succumbed to the lure of the Johnsonville Brats at Costco today, simply because they had samples. I grew up on great bratwurst from the German butchers in New York City, and from the one bite I tried today, the Johnsonville Brats came off really greasy and over-salty -- and I'm a salt lover. But that's just from one bite and the limited cooking capability of Costco's demos, so I don't want to be too harsh on that one limited sample.

Anyone smoked Johnsonville brats? Any advice on how long to cook them in a 225-250*F WSM? They will be cooked alongside BBQ chicken. I'm on a chicken kick this month.

Pierce them before or after cooking to drain off some of the fat?

Simmer them in water or beer before or after smoking?

Thanks,
Rita
 
Rita,

IMHO it seems that you are melding two different cooking methods into one, smoking and grilling.

If I'm smoking sausage I just put it on the WSM and take it to 155-160 internally, no piercing, no water, or beer, just eat.

But, if I'm grilling brats; 1/2 pan with 1 stick of melted butter, 1 or 2 beers, cut up onions, simmer the sausages until just about done, then on the grill to finish up and get some nice grill marks.
 
Thanks, Bruce.

Actually, I was planning to put them into the WSM with the chicken and then finish the chicken and brats on the gasser with a little glaze (chicken only) just before serving.

I was just wondering how long to guestimate them to get to 155-160 internal at 225-250.

Rita
 
Actually, brats do pretty well at smoking temperatures. Do a search for "brat boats" for one of my favorite ways to cooks them on the WSM.

By the way, I agree with your assesment of Johnsonville brats and I grew up about 5 miles away from them! The good thing about the extra fat is that it's almost impossible to dry them out.

When I was a kid, every butcher and grocery store made their own brats. You could have brats every weekend for a year and never repeat.
 
Tony,

We had your Brat Boats for dinner tonight and they were a big hit.

But I need to get out to Austell, Georgia to the Patak Meat Co. (http://patakmeats.com/Index_files/page0001.htm)

...to get some really bood brats. They are the best I've had since leaving the NY area some time in pre-history. These folks come from Central Europe and used to have a fantasic (real) meat market about 10 minutes from my house, but have since moved to a more spacious plant in Austell, which I'm ashamed to say I have never visited (I'd guess that they are now 45 minutes away from me).

As soon as I can, I'm going to have to find out if they'll ship individual orders and I'll post if they do. Their fresh bratwurst is awesome, as is their smoked liverwurst.

I tried making fresh bratwurst a good many years ago and the flavors were in the ballpark, but no bells and whistles went off with that batch and I sort of gave up. I wish I had a good recipe to try.

Thanks for the Brat Boats. Quick cooking, interesting, and fun way to cook them.

Oh yes...the Johnsonvilles - I pierced them well and cooked them on the WSM with a little cherry to the recommended 160*F internal. Thank goodness that they were not as greasy as the sample I tried at Costco. The demos are somewhat handicapped in that they had to cook the brats in a skillet and didn't drain any fat.

Rita
 
Originally posted by Susan Z:
I like Usingers wayyyyyy better than Johnsonville, but I'd forgo either for some Zweigle's white hots!
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Susan, Are these the ones and if so wich ones do i buy? Thanks
 
Yep, those are the ones! They are actually hot dogs made without nitrates or nitrites, so they are white instead of red. But they don't taste like hot dogs---closer to brats, or old German balogna. A very unusual taste, but good! I got the pop-open (skin on) and the skinless. Both were great!

Haven't tried their texas red hots, but will when I get back to Wegman's.
 
Kinda like Bockwurst which is my favorite? I think i had these like 20 years ago when i was in Oswego NY. I loved them. I'll be placing an internet order for them. Thanks for the info Susan.
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OK i just went to place an order and i'm somewhat crazy but when you order $50.00 of hotdogs and they want $51.00 for shipping and i'm one state away i'm not quite that nutts.
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. Whish i had a plan B but i don't.
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Originally posted by Bruce Bissonnette:
But, if I'm grilling brats; 1/2 pan with 1 stick of melted butter, 1 or 2 beers, cut up onions, simmer the sausages until just about done, then on the grill to finish up and get some nice grill marks.
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Bruce, I've been wanting to try this for some time now. Can I just confirm that I'm using "uncooked" Johnsonville 'Beer-n-Brats'?
I'd prefer to do everything on the grill, simmer, then the grill marks.
 
Originally posted by Susan Z:
Ouch! Can't say I blame you. No Wegman's by you? They've just expanded into Northern VA recently.
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There's one in Downingtown about an an hour or so away. Roadtrip.
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Well the website says available at BJ'S and Sam's clubs. Never seen them at BJ'S but i'll take another look.
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They apparently have some kind of cult following. Once I started reading about 'em here and there the web, I made it a quest (for some reason, I totally dig quests!) to find 'em, and voila'! There came Wegman's. They are really unusual. My mom loved 'em, wants more.
 
I've tried the Johnsonville Brats on the WSM and to be honest I wasn't real keen on them. Really fatty and gristly.

Who knows how consistent those ones are with the ones someone else may get though.
 
Gotta' give it to 'em for brilliant marketing, tho! You think brats these days, you think Johnsonville (I mean us brat novices, not the midwesterners who know better).
 
Why not get into making your own. Kits are available almost anywhere. You can get started rather cheaply and then you can control the maount fat that goes in. If any are interested I will post web site later.
 
Originally posted by Susan Z:
Gotta' give it to 'em for brilliant marketing, tho! You think brats these days, you think Johnsonville (I mean us brat novices, not the midwesterners who know better).
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I would call myself an Uber Brat novice. Maybe 'fatty and gristly' is what brats are all about ... ???
 
Never gristly. These were way fattier than those I grew up with from German butchers.

I found mine at Costco. I'm going to give them one more opportunity to charm me, but I'm not sure it'll work.

I'm looking for a homemade recipe...anyone willing to share?

Rita
 
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