Backstory: I always buy bratwurst to have on hand for a lazy meal, but the grill was out and I wasn’t feeling inspired by grilling brats on the stovetop. I also had some green peppers threatening to go bad, so I dove into google and came across and came away with inspiration from German Sausage & Pepper dish from Crepes of Wrath. I augmented it a bit to fit what was in the fridge and the results were amazing. Not precisely healthy, but an amazing backup use for bratwurst when you are bored with buns and mustard.
Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients for German Bratwurst Stir Fry
The ingredients needed are either frozen meats or long-lasting vegetables. Because of this selection, there is no urgency for planning around super perishable ingredients going bad.
- Bratwurst: Beer Bratwurst are my go-to since there is additional beer in the recipe. Since the Bratwurst adds most of the flavor to the dish, changing the brat flavor will change the flavor dramatically.
- Beer: The recipe only uses 1/3 of a beer but it adds a nice flavor to the dish. Change up the beer to change up the flavor. Something with lots of malt or hops would add a very interesting twist to the flavors already there.
- Sweet Onion: A very pantry stable vegetable, these will wait nicely up to a month in my pantry. Caramelized to perfection, these end up sweet and soaked in juices.
- Bell Peppers: Green Peppers are a staple in my house and they will last a week in the crisper. Switch to red peppers for a sweeter, brighter dish. Alternatively, substitute a poblano or an anaheim pepper to step up the spiciness.
- Smoked Paprika: adds a layer of smokiness to this dish, and it’s just lovely. Use regular paprika if you want extra spice.
Equipment Needed for this Quick-Meal:
- Cutting Board: A nice place to chop veggies. Working with a cheap cutting board isn’t the worst thing, but the first time it slides off the counter on you, you’ll wish you upgraded.
- Chef’s Knife: The go-to knife in most kitchens. It slices, it dices, and does most things equally well. Keep it sharp and handy.
- Saute Pan: Big, high sides, and heavy bottom. I use a Calphalon non-stick and it has lasted me 8 years so far. I highly recommend it. If not that one, I recommend having one of these pans regardless, we use it daily.
- Wooden Spoon: Good for stirring meals and whacking hands. I use a roux paddle almost exclusively for meals like this since it’s so good at scraping up the brown bits.
- Measuring Spoons: You could eyeball it, but I don’t. I have 2 sets so I am not constantly washing them.
Preparation
Preparing German Bratwurst Stir Fry
A lot of the preparation for this dish happens as you cook instead of beforehand. However, you could get ahead of it by slicing up your peppers and onion first. Cut in half and then slice each thinly to get strips of pepper and onion.
Cooking the German Sausage Stir Fry
Start with frying up the brats. Over medium heat cook the 3 minutes on each side for 12 minutes. Set those aside and pour off the excess grease. (Save it to cook with later!) Add 1/2 cup of beer to deglaze and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
Once the beer is bubbling, add the onions and stir fry them in the beer for 5 minutes. It seems like a lot of liquid, but it will condense into something delicious, I promise. Add the peppers and paprika at 5 minutes and stir fry until all of the veggies are caramelized and the beer condensed, about 10 minutes more.
While the veggies are cooking, thinly slice the brats into disc, circles… my kids call these buttons. They should be slightly pink in the middle still. Toss that in with the veggies and stir fry until cooked through.
If you have some fatty brats and they released a bunch of grease at this stage, do the following:
- Remove from heat and allow to stop sizzling.
- Scrape all of the cooked food to one side of the pan.
- Drain the grease to the other side of the pan, squeezing it out of the food with your utensil.
- Stir 1-2Tbsp into the grease and make a roux. Turn up heat to medium-low and cook the roux for 1-2 minutes.
- Fold back into the food for a delicious sauce.
German Bratwurst Stir Fry
Equipment
- Saute Pan or Wok
- Wooden Spoon
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 4-6 Bratwurst
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ cup Beer
- 1 Onion Medium, Sweet, Sliced Thin
- 2 Bell Peppers Cored, Seeded, Sliced Thin
- 1 tbsp Paprika Smoked
- 1-2 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Heat 2T olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add 4-6 bratwurst to the pan and brown on each side. 3 minutes on each side for a total of 12 minutes. Cover loosely to control grease spatters.
- While the bratwurst cooks, peel, halve, and slice the onion thinly. Remove the seeds, halve, and slice the pepper thinly as well. Set aside
- Set aside the bratwurst. Add beer and stir, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom. Once bubbling, add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and Paprika (1T) and stir fry until carmelized, about 10 minutes.
- Chop the bratwurst into ¼" discs and add to the pan. Stir fry until bratwurst is fully cooked through.
- Scrape all ingredients to one side and tilt the pan to pool the juices/grease. Add flour (1-2T) and whisk to combine and cook. Cook for 2-3 minutes and stir into the food mixture to combine.
- Serve hot and Enjoy!
Notes
- Change the flavor of the bratwurst to dramatically change the dish flavor
- Change the beer type to dramatically change the dish flavor.
- Use gluten-free beer or wine and rice flour for a gluten-free dish
- Use regular or Hungarian Paprika for a spicier dish.
- Substitute Poblano or Anaheim peppers for the bell peppers for a spicier dish.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this meal vegetarian or vegan?
No… This is a sausage stir fry. While you could buy vegetarian sausage and use it in the recipe, I can’t speak to if it works or not. Please, somebody, try this and let me know how it goes!
Is This Meal Keto or Gluten Free?
Yes! Except for the flour, this dish is very Keto friendly. You could substitute keto flour for the flour, or skip it. It’s just a thickener for the sauce, and it’s unnecessary. However, you shouldn’t leave ketosis over 2T of flour, so if you aren’t super strictly gluten-free, go for it. Rice flour makes for an excellent gluten-free soup thickener, and you could also try instant potato flakes.
Pairings
I served this dish with Couscous and homemade sauerkraut, but any grain would be a great option to soak up the gravy. You could even load this into a bratwurst bun for a fun twist on the traditional bratwurst.
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