These Brats Wrapped in Homemade Pretzel Dough Are a Real Crowd Pleaser

SmokyRibsBBQ/Thrillist

Bratwurst is better when you make it the SmokyRibsBBQ way. Cook up your Bratwurst in some German beer, and stuff 'em with homemade Gruyére beer cheese. Finish them off by wrapping them up in a super easy to make homemade pretzel dough for a tasty corndog twist.

Cheesy Brats Wrapped in Pretzel Dough

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 1 onion diced
  • German beer (around 30 oz.)
  • 1 lb. of Gruyère cheese (shredded)
  • 1 tbsp. corn starch
  • 2 tsp of hot German mustard
  • dash of Worcestershire
  • pinch of paprika
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 Bratwurst sausages
  • 6 cups of water
  • 2 tbsp. of baking soda
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • For pretzel dough:
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 package of active dry yeast
  • 2/3 cup of German beer
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS:
  • In a pot, heat and simmer 2 sticks of butter, add in 1 diced onion, and 1 12 oz German beer. Once it reaches a simmer, put in Bratwurst and simmer for 8 minutes to fully cook the sausage. Set to the side to cool so you can work with them.
  • In a sauce pan add in 1 cup of German beer, and bring to a simmer. Shred the Gruyère cheese and toss the cornstarch in with the cheese. Add the cheese into the simmering beer little at a time until all cheese is incorporated and melted in. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire, and paprika and season lightly with salt.
  • Now take an injector with a large needle and inject beer cheese into each bratwurst sausage from one end to the other. Set aside and let cool.
  • In a saucepan heat up 2/3 cup of beer, water and oil to around 115°F. In your mixer combine the dry ingredients for the pretzel dough and mix thoroughly and add in the wet ingredients. Mix with dough hook attached for five minutes are until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
  • Transfer dough ball into a clean oiled bowl, making sure to coat all surfaces of dough ball with oil, and cover with a cloth and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size. Once dough has risen, pour onto a floured work surface and separate into 12 equal sections. Take each section and hand roll it into thin ropes of dough around 20 inches long.
  • Now take dough ropes and wrap each bratwurst sausage around and around leaving the ends of the sausage exposed somewhat. Mix 1 TBSP of water to one egg and brush egg wash on each dough rolled sausage. Now sprinkle on sea salt, and place into a 400°F oven or grill and cook until browned to the color of a pretzel.
  • Enjoy!

 
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