The Parboiling Technique You Need For Top-Tier Bratwurst

Flavorful bratwursts are the perfect hearty sausage for grilling during a family backyard barbecue or while tailgating before an epic sporting match. But often, one step is overlooked that helps to prevent the brats from bursting open on the grill, resulting in the loss of that wonderful juiciness.

By parboiling the sausages first, the brats will be precooked and the skins will get sturdier, thus holding up better to the heat of the grill. Then by grilling them after, more flavor is added to the sausages and the skin of the sausage will tighten up to create the snap you love to sink your teeth into. Plus, all of the juices will be locked inside the brat, meaning you'll still need that bun to soak up the meaty juices. 

Parboiling the sausages first will also help to prevent them from burning on the grill because they will need less time to cook giving you more time to socialize and enjoy grilling weather.

Parboiling the bratwursts can be achieved by either cooking them in a pan on the stove with liquid or by using a cast-iron skillet that has been set on the hot grill. A cold liquid, such as water, should be poured into the pan until it covers approximately ¾ of the sausages.

For additional flavor, consider swapping water for broth or beer — after all, what's better than drinking a cold beer while eating something that was cooked with beer? By simmering them in beer with onions, you not only get more flavor, but you also get a fantastic brat topping. 

The brats should be allowed to slowly simmer in the liquid of your choice for about 10 to 15 minutes or until an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.  After the sausages have been parboiled, it's time to finish them on the grill for another five minutes or so, for the perfect bite of summer flavors.