While grilling brats to perfection can make your summer afternoon more enjoyable, the whole process can be complex and deceiving. If you do not want to ruin your delicious protein by undercooking or overcooking them, then knowing how long to grill your brats will make the difference.
It should take about 20 minutes to grill your brats to perfection, as that is enough to hit the desired temperature of 160°F. To achieve this, you have to ensure that your brats are cooking slowly at a medium-low temperature of 300 – 350°F for the best results. Additionally, it would help to turn your brats often for evenly cooking.
Cooking your brats to perfection requires a concise understanding of how long it takes and the proper procedure to follow.
How Long To Cook Brats On Grill The Right Way
Many people focus on the duration, it takes to complete their grilling. The truth is that getting the duration right alone may not give you the delicious meal that you deserve. In addition to knowing how long it should take to cook your brat, you need to be acquitted with the proper procedure to follow.
Parboil The Brats
This is the first step to cooking your brats to perfection. You can parboil your brats on a cast-iron skillet or a stove. The significance of this step is that it helps to pre-cook the brats hence making them not burst on the grill and release all the flavor juices.
You can use water or broth and allow your brats to simmer until they attain an internal temperature of 150°F. The secret to making this stage successful is to cook your brats low and slow first.
Sear The Brats
After boiling your brats in the liquid of your choice; the next step is to grill them. Remember that the main objective of throwing your brats on the grill is to infuse a smoky flavor. Therefore, you need to set your grill to medium heat and grill them for about 20 minutes. It is recommendable to serve your brats immediately for the best flavor.
How Long Do You Grill Brats
Sometimes it is essential to understand the composition of your brats to know precisely how long it should take to cook them. Generally, cooking brats to perfection takes about 20 minutes, depending on the temperature of your grill. Although it might be tempting to use a higher temperature to shorten the cooking period, that is not the best approach if you are looking for a delicious meal. Here is how the temperature will influence the duration of cooking your brats.
| Temperature | Time Taken to Grill |
| 350°F | 20 – 25 minutes |
| 400°F | 17 – 20 minutes |
| 450°F | 12 -14 minutes |
Why Does It Take Long To Cook Your Brats On Grill?
Besides choosing your temperature, several other factors may influence how long you will take to cook your brats on the grill.
The Type Of Grill
You will likely be grilling your brats on either the charcoal grill or gas propane grill. The charcoal grill is the best option as it allows you to use specific charcoal to influence your flavor. However, either of the two can assist in cooking your brats to perfection.
The Thickness Of Your Brats
Another essential factor that is likely to determine how long you will cook your brats is the thickness. If you love your brats juicy, then having them thick is one of the ways to achieve it. However, you will need to acknowledge that thick brats will need extra time and professionalism to cook them to perfection.
The Status Of Your Grill
Pre-heating your grill is vital to ensure that you do not take much time cooking your brats. Besides, it is the best way to ensure that your brats have a better texture and cook properly.
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The Temperature Level
The amount of temperature that you will use for your grilling will influence the cooking duration. Most professionals prefer low temperatures to avoid overcooking or burning their food. Low to Medium temperatures is the proper selection for your brats.
How Long To Cook Brats On Charcoal Grill
The beauty of grilling your brats is that you get the smoky flavor you need. One of the common challenges that many people experience whenever they think of grilling their brats on a charcoal grill is the duration it should take to grill their brats.
To grill your brats to perfection, gently grill them over low to medium heat of about 300 – 350°F for about 20 minutes. The target is to ensure that the interior temperature of your brats reaches 160°F. It is crucial to constantly turn your brats to prevent burning and ensure that they evenly cook.
Adding Another Level Of Flavor To Your Brats
If you want to cook unique brats for your friends or loved ones, adding some extra flavors will make a big difference. Adding the following ingredients will give your cooking endeavors a sweet perspective.
- Mustard Relish – makes your brats sweet and spicy.
- French fried onions – they help add crunch texture and pop flavor to your brats.
- Bacon Wrap – Wrapping you’re a slice of bacon around your brats before you start the grilling helps prevent unraveling
- Beer Mustard – Mixing your brats with your favorite mustard gives an extra kick of flavor while providing a smoky taste for grilling.
- Grilled Onions – Grilled onions are excellent for adding a caramel flavor to the smoky taste of your brats.
- Grilled Peppers – The pepper taste makes great grilled brats.
How To Grill Excellent Bratwurst Always
It is essential to understand that those things that seem small are the ones that make a big difference. Therefore, although the following guidelines might appear simple, they can make a significant difference every time you think of grilling your brats to perfection.
Avoid Pricking The Sausage Casing
Most people prefer pricing the sausage casing because they think that is the best way to cook their bratwurst properly. However, pricking the case of the brats can result in dry and overcooked meat. It is an excellent practice to let the juices stay inside.
Avoid Buying Cheap Brats
If you want a delicious meal, you need to avoid purchasing cheap brats because they are never the best. Always pay attention to places where you buy your brats and ensure that they are top-notch quality. Besides, nothing good comes on a silver platter easily.
Grill Over A Medium Heat Temperature For About 20 Minutes
How you will grill your brats can significantly impact the final product. The best way to grill your bratwurst is to cook them at a medium temperature for about 20 minutes and ensure they are evenly cooked.
Avoid Pre-Cooked Brats
While it might be tempting to purchase pre-cooked brats to cut the preparing time that is not a good idea. Doing the entire preparation on your own will make it easier to cook the brats as you can easily add the flavors you want.
Brushing The Grill With Oil
You do not want a situation where your brats stick on the grill, and this is why it is essential to coat your grills with some oil. Nonetheless, you should avoid putting in excess oil, resulting in unwanted billows of smoke.
Also read: The Best Gas Grill and Griddle Combo
Parting Shot
If you want a delicious meal, you will need to follow all the basic steps, including poaching your brats in beer or a liquid of your choice and allowing them to simmer for about 15 minutes. It is one of the best ways to ensure a delicious and juicy bratwurst.
Further, it would help pre-heating your grill to cut down the cooking time frame and give your brats a good texture. Grilling your brats for about 20 minutes at medium-low temperature is enough to give you a perfectly cooked meal.
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Scot has loved smoking food in his free time for the last few years. Each major holiday or off-weekend, Scot spends days testing and prepping new recipes for perfection.