Brats in the Oven Reinvented – 3 Fun and Easy Oven Cooking Techniques

Looking for a new way to cook brats in the oven? Get ready to elevate your culinary game with these three fun and easy oven cooking techniques that will reinvent the way you prepare this classic sausage dish. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or simply craving a delicious and hassle-free meal, these methods will have you enjoying juicy brats in no time.

When it comes to preparing bratwurst, there are numerous methods you can employ, but one of the simplest and most convenient ways is to cook them in the oven. This technique is particularly advantageous when unfavorable weather conditions prevent you from enjoying the outdoor grilling experience. By opting for the oven, you can effortlessly achieve a delectable outcome—succulent and plump sausages that are bursting with flavor. Regardless of whether you intend to incorporate these flavorful brats in a recipe or savor them nestled in a warm bun, trying out the technique of cooking brats in the oven will leave you delighted with the flavorful outcome. So why not give it a whirl and relish the convenience and delightful taste of oven-baked brats?

Why You Should Try Cooking Brats in The Oven ?

Cooking brats in the oven offers several compelling reasons to give it a try. Firstly, it provides the convenience of easily scaling up the recipe to serve a crowd. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or a casual gathering with friends, baking bratwurst in the oven allows you to prepare a large batch all at once. By utilizing multiple sheet pans or baking dishes, you can effortlessly accommodate a larger number of guests, ensuring everyone gets to enjoy the delicious flavors of bratwurst.

Secondly, cooking brats in the oven requires simple prep work. Unlike grilling, there’s no need to worry about lighting charcoal or monitoring an open flame. With this method, you can focus on preparing other elements of your meal while the brats cook to perfection in the oven. The straightforward preparation involves placing the brats on a sheet pan, seasoning them with your preferred spices, and then popping them in the oven. This hassle-free process makes it an excellent choice for busy individuals or those who prefer a hands-off cooking approach.

Overall, baking brats in the oven presents a versatile sheet pan recipe that suits both game days and weeknight dinners. It offers the flexibility to adapt to various occasions and time constraints. Whether you’re cheering on your favorite sports team or trying to put together a quick and satisfying meal after a long day, this method ensures a fast cooking time of about 20 minutes. This means you can have a flavorful bratwurst dinner on the table in no time, allowing you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your meal with family or friends. With its easy scalability, simple prep work, and efficient cooking time, trying the oven method for cooking brats is a convenient and delicious choice.

 

3 Fun and Easy Ways to Cook Bratwurst in The Oven

 

1. Baking the Brats

Prepare the baking pan: Line a rimmed baking pan with foil, ensuring that it covers the entire surface. Press the foil firmly around the edges of the pan to hold it in place. This step serves two purposes: it makes cleanup easier and prevents the brats from sticking to the pan. Once the pan is prepared, position it inside the oven to allow it to heat up along with the oven.

Preheat the oven: Set the oven temperature to 400 °F (204 °C). As soon as you place the prepared pan inside the oven, adjust the temperature to 400 °F (204 °C). It typically takes around 10-15 minutes for the oven to reach the desired temperature. If your oven has a built-in thermometer, you can monitor the temperature to determine when it’s ready.

Arrange the brats: Using oven mitts, carefully pull out the baking pan from the oven. Place the pan on the stove or on a heat-safe mat on the counter. Now, place the bratwursts in a single layer on top of the foil in the pan. Ensure that they are evenly spread out.

Cook the brats: Put the baking pan with the brats back into the oven. Allow them to cook for approximately 45 minutes, making sure to turn them over once after about 20 minutes. This flipping process ensures that the brats brown evenly on both sides. Continue cooking for an additional 20-25 minutes until the sausages achieve a browned appearance on the outside.

Check the internal temperature: To ensure the brats are thoroughly cooked, check that their internal temperature reaches at least 160 °F (71 °C). Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of a sausage to measure the temperature accurately.

Rest and serve: Once the brats are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for approximately 5 minutes. During this resting period, the juices inside the meat will redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful and tender bratwurst. After the short rest, you can serve the delicious brats to enjoy.

 

2. Broiling The Brats

To achieve optimal cooking results, adjust the top rack of your oven to its highest position. In most oven models, the broiler is situated at the very top, providing intense and direct heat for quick cooking. To maximize the broiler’s effectiveness, it’s best to position the food as close to the broiler as possible.

Begin by preheating the broiler for approximately 10 minutes. Most broilers lack adjustable temperature settings and only offer an on/off function. In this case, simply turn the broiler on. However, if your broiler has both “high” and “low” settings, select the high setting. Allow around 10 minutes for the broiler to reach the desired preheating temperature.

Take a broiler pan and arrange the bratwursts on it, ensuring they are not touching each other. A broiler pan typically consists of a slotted tray that fits inside another pan or tray. The slots enable the hot air in the oven to circulate evenly around the sausages, resulting in a more uniform cooking process.

Proceed to broil the bratwursts for 15-20 minutes, flipping them every 5 minutes using tongs. Carefully turn the bratwursts to prevent them from burning. Depending on the size and positioning of the bratwursts, you may need to partially pull out the pan from the oven to facilitate flipping. In such cases, remember to use oven mitts to protect yourself from burns.

Remove the bratwursts from the oven when they exhibit a slightly browned appearance with distinctive grate marks. While oven-cooked bratwursts may not develop grill marks as they would on an outdoor grill, you will notice darker lines on the sausages from the grates on the broiling pan. This method allows you to achieve some of the delicious charred flavor even when grilling outdoors is impractical due to weather conditions.

To ensure the bratwursts are fully cooked, utilize a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature, aiming for 160 °F (71 °C). Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the thickest part of a bratwurst. If the temperature reading registers 160 °F (71 °C), it indicates that the brats are thoroughly cooked.

Allow the bratwursts to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Allowing them to cool slightly not only prevents you from burning your mouth but also enables the juices to redistribute within the meat. As a result, you’ll savor a delectably tender bratwurst that closely resembles one fresh off the grill.

3. Oven-Braised Beer Brats

To begin, preheat your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). It’s crucial to have a hot oven as you’ll be simmering the bratwurst in a liquid mixture along with plenty of onions. Allow the oven to heat up for about 10-15 minutes before placing any food inside, ensuring it reaches the desired temperature.

Prepare the onions and garlic by slicing and mincing. Take a medium-sized white onion and slice it horizontally using a sharp knife, creating rings that are approximately 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) wide. Separate the rings by hand. As for the garlic, finely mince 2 cloves using a knife.

Take a deep baking dish and spread the sliced onions and minced garlic evenly. The size of the baking dish doesn’t matter as much as its depth, so ensure it is at least 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) deep. A standard 9-inch × 13-inch (23 cm × 33 cm) pan works well for this purpose.

Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce over the onions. Once the onions and garlic are in the baking dish, add approximately 1–2 US tablespoons (15–30 mL) of olive oil, 2–3 US tablespoons (30–44 mL) of Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper according to your taste. Stir all the ingredients together to combine them thoroughly.

Place 5 bratwurst sausages on top of the onion mixture in the baking dish. Gently press the brats down into the onions so that they are partially immersed. As the onions cook and soften in the beer, they will envelop the brats, imparting both the sausage and onions with enhanced flavors.

Pour 2 12 fl oz (350 ml) beers into the baking dish. The choice of beer is entirely up to you, ranging from inexpensive options available at your local market to craft beers brewed at a nearby microbrewery. Whichever beer you select, pour it into the baking dish until the brats are about halfway submerged.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Take a long sheet of aluminum foil and securely crimp it around the edges of the pan. This method of covering will allow the bratwurst to steam while cooking, resulting in a more flavorsome and juicy sausage.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and let it cook for approximately an hour, remembering to turn the brats once. After covering the dish and ensuring the oven is preheated, position the baking dish with the brats on the center rack of the oven. After around 30 minutes, carefully remove the pan using oven mitts and flip the sausages. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Serve the bratwursts on buns topped with the beer-cooked onions. The onions, infused with the flavors of the beer and bratwurst, make a delicious topping for the sausages when served on a soft bun. If desired, you can toast the bun and add mustard for an extra kick, or simply enjoy the brats plain on a soft bun.