Best Cider Brined Brats Recipes

CIDER BRINED BRATS

Steps:

• 1. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine onion, vinegar,garlic and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• 2. While brine is simmering, prepare brats by piercing each one all over six to eight times with a fork.
• 3. Place bratwurst in the simmering water. Cover and continue to simmer 20 minutes. Do not boil.
• 4. Remove brats. Grill or pan-fry immediately or refrigerate for up to two days. try serving with Rosemary Bacon Kraut https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/vegetable/rosemary-bacon-kraut.html

HARD CIDER BRAISED BRATS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• Melt butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan with the onion, salt and pepper. Add cider and bring to a boil, then add bratwursts. Reduce heat and simmer 13-15 minutes for fresh bratwursts, or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 155°F, turning once. If using fully cooked bratwursts, simmer for 5-6 minutes.
• Remove the bratwursts from the braising liquid and brown on the hot grill. Cook until desired char is achieved, about 5 minutes. Serve in toasted pretzel buns with sauerkraut and a generous amount of mustard.

HARD CIDER BRATS

Steps:

• Dice the apples into 1/2″ pieces, removing the stems and seeds, and cut the onions into ringlets.
• Place the onions along the bottom of a foil pan and layer the brats into the pan on top of the onions. Pour the two pints of Angry Orchard hard cider (or enough to just cover the brats) into the pan and top with the diced apples.
• Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640 (or other cooker) to 350°F in indirect mode. Place the foil pan over indirect heat and let cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the brats from the bath and place them over direct heat to brown.
• Remove the pan, but reserve the hard cider, apple and onion mixture. With a slotted spoon, move the apples and onions to a pan. Over medium heat combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, and white pepper with the apples and onions and cook down until all liquid is gone and onions are translucent.
• Once the brats have browned to your desired doneness, serve and enjoy!

APPLE CIDER BRINE

Steps:

• In a 3-4 quart saucepan, combine cider with salt, sugar, ginger, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice; stir to dissolve salt.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 3-4 minutes; remove from heat, add 4 cups of ice water and set aside to cool.
• Line a heavy roasting pan with turkey-sized oven cooking bags (which should be double-layered).
• Remove the turkey from it's wrapping, remove neck and giblets (store separately), and rinse and prepare bird.
• Stuff cavity with orange quarters.
• Make a collar of the top of cooking bags (helps keep bags open), and slip bird inside, stand it upright (legs pointing up), and unfold the top of the bag.
• Pour the brine over the bird, and add an additional 2 cups of water.
• Draw up the first inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure with a twist-tie; do the same for the outer bag.
• Place the turkey, breast side down, in the roasting pan and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning 3-4 times while brining.
• Just prior to roasting, remove the turkey from the brine; discard the bags, brine, and all cured herbs, spices, and oranges remaining in the bird.
• Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper toweling.
• Air-dry turkey under refrigeration for 4-6 hours (before cooking) for a crispier crust when roasting.
• The turkey is now ready to be roasted.

CIDER-BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Reserve 1 cup of the apple cider; cover and refrigerate. In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix remaining cider, the brown sugar, salt, 3 thyme sprigs, the sage, peppercorns, allspice and bay leaves; stir until salt is dissolved. Add turkey breast. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Rinse turkey thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat reserved 1 cup apple cider to boiling; cook 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Reduce heat to medium. Add syrup and butter; cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot.
• Brush turkey with about 1/3 cup of the cider mixture. Roast uncovered about 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 165°F, brushing generously with pan juices and remaining cider mixture every 15 minutes. Cover turkey loosely with foil to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Place turkey on warm platter; cover with foil. Let stand 15 minutes for easier carving.