There is a cult of the bratwurst.
When Fay Vincent was commissioner of baseball, a question was put to him about the quality of food in Major League ballparks. He cleared his throat and mumbled something about his role as commissioner and how he must remain impartial. But at the end of his disclaimer, he snuck in an extraordinary statement: “If you really want to eat well, get a brat at Milwaukee’s County Stadium.”
In Wisconsin, the bratwurst is synonymous with tailgating, irrevocably linked through Germanic tradition, working-class sports fans, and a love of heavy food. Sure, you can cook anything at a tailgate party, but why would you? To understand the power of this simple sausage, go to Sheboygan, Wisc., the epicenter of Bratlandia. The brat is so ingrained in the local mind-set that the word “lunch” means a double brat on a hard roll, and the Wisconsin Legislature filed a joint resolution making it the state sandwich.
Elsewhere in the States, including Tennessee, bratwurst has also become standard football food. It used to be that you could only find brats at the Gerst Haus. These days, of course, you can find them at Adelphia or in your neighborhood supermarket.
In honor of the fall football season, we gathered a few samples from area stores and put them to the test to see which brat most pleased the Middle Tennessee palate. All brats were cooked according to the official recipe, printed below, and were served to our committee of testers in a controlled, blind taste test. Participants were not asked to limit their beer consumption, as this created a true tasting environment. Condiments were not allowed until grading was complete.
Final Scores (out of a possible 50 pts.)
1. Harris Teeter brand - 36
2. Kroger brand - 35
3. Johnsonville - 33
4. Dietz (precooked) - 30
5. Usinger (precooked) - 16
An interesting note: It seems the Johnsonville company of Sheboygan produces the Harris Teeter brand as well. Regardless, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the top three products. We cannot recommend any of the precooked varieties.
Now that you have the results, here are some recipes to elevate your experience to the Nirvana of the Heartland.
How to Cook a Brat Much has been written—and the debate still rages in backyards across the state—over proper cooking methods. People agree that they must be grilled, but it’s not that simple. Do you boil them in beer before grilling, or is that a sin against sausage? There is no ruling body that has handed down a decree, so it’s still left to personal choice.
Here’s my take, honed in parking lots at Lambeau Field and County Stadium. It’s most certainly the best approach, and you’re nothing but a hunyak if you argue.
1. Starting with a dozen fresh brats, bring a six-pack of dark beer to boil. Add one large onion, quartered, and once you have a rolling boil, add the brats. When the boil begins again, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
2. Now it’s time to grill. The most important thing is to brown the brats slowly and evenly over low heat. If your coals are too hot, scrape them to the side of the grill, or just wait for them to cool. Brats pack their share of fat, and the last thing you want is a searing flare-up. Just in case, have some water ready for fire control.
3. Once your brats are nicely cooked to a deep, rich brown, put them back in the beer-onion mixture to stay warm and moist. Serve two brats, side by side, on a good, crusty hard roll when ready.
Wisconsin Onions The perfect accompaniment to that steaming brat is a heaping helping of cooked onions. Give this recipe a try, and you’ll never look back.
1. Cut five white onions in half, then slice into narrow, short slivers.
2. In a heavy sauté pan, add 2 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter.
3. Add onions and cook on high heat, stirring to avoid browning, reducing heat as onions soften.
4. Add half a can of beef stock, half a can of beer, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, and 2 tbsp. hot paprika.
5. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until most of the liquid is reduced. Serve warm.
Wild Rice Salad Not everything you serve should be hot, especially in the early part of the Titans season, when the parking lots of Nashville are asphalt ovens. Here’s a cool salad to add some crunchy texture to the meal.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place 1 c. wild rice in 4 c. of chicken stock in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until liquid is just absorbed and rice is tender enough to eat but still has some tooth.
3. Allow rice to cool before transferring to a large bowl and refrigerating it.
4. Once cool, add 1/4 c. of good quality olive oil and 1/4 c. of fig vinegar.
5. Add 1/2 c. each of chopped shallots, dried cranberries, salted walnut halves, and niçoise olives.
6. Chill and toss before serving.
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