By Alice K. Thompson for Food Network Kitchen

Alice is a contributing writer and editor at Food Network.

Love sausage? Then you may already know bratwurst, the German sausage that’s popular in and beyond much of the United States. It's a delicious hot dog alternative that’s also great as meal with no buns in sight. Read on for exactly what bratwurst is and how to cook it, plus delicious recipes that combine it with beer and other classic (and some unexpected!) ingredients.

What Is Bratwurst?

Bratwurst is a mildly spiced German-style link sausage typically made with pork, although veal and beef are occasionally used as well.

While there are numerous regional variations, herbs and spices like marjoram, coriander, nutmeg and pepper are typically added to bratwurst to give it a distinctive flavor. In Germany, the sausages are typically fresh (uncooked), grilled and served on hard rolls with sauerkraut. “Brats” arrived in the American Midwest with German immigrants and are a beloved food there and elsewhere in the United States. Midwestern brats are sometimes smoked, sometimes boiled in beer and usually served in a soft hot dog bun with mustard and any number of other toppings. This sausage also makes a satisfying fork-and-knife meal with various sides.

What Is Bratwurst Made Of?

Pork is the most common meat used to make bratwurst, although there are also versions made with veal, beef and mixed meats. To make bratwurst, the meat is minced and pork fat is added to keep the sausages moist. Many combinations of herbs and spices can be used in brats: marjoram and pepper are common, as are coriander, nutmeg, caraway, ginger and sometimes lemon peel and small amounts of garlic. The flavors can be subtle or pronounced. The mixture is stuffed into natural or artificial casings and formed into sturdy links that tend to be slightly stouter than hot dogs. Bratwurst are usually sold fresh but can also be precooked and occasionally smoked.

What’s the Difference Between Bratwurst and Knockwurst?

Both bratwurst and knockwurst are fresh German-style sausages typically made from pork, although both can contain beef and veal. Knockwurst, however, are usually more intensely spiced than brats, with larger amounts of strong flavorings like garlic and pepper and typically paprika to add an orangish hue to the links.

How to Cook Bratwurst

Bratwurst can be prepared almost any way you would cook other fresh sausages: grilled, pan-fried or boiled. Cooking them in beer is popular, particularly in the Midwest (see below for two classic brats-in-beer recipes). However you choose to cook bratwurst, be sure the sausages are cooked all the way through. They should register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, or you can cut into one with the tip of a paring knife and check that the meat is no longer raw and dark-pink; it should be moist and juicy and very light pink. Here are the details on three of the most popular ways to cook bratwurst.

How to Grill Bratwurst

To grill bratwurst, preheat a grill to medium-high. Place the brats on the grate and cook, turning them frequently, until they’re browned and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Move the sausages to a cooler part of the grill if they become too brown before the middle is cooked. You can also parboil the brats before grilling if you like (see How to Boil Bratwurst, below); this will ensure the middle is already cooked so you can concentrate on getting their skin deliciously brown without charring it.

How to Pan-Fry Bratwurst

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add a little oil to the pan and then add the bratwurst. Cook, turning the sausages frequently, until they are browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, lowering the heat if they brown too quickly.

How to Boil Bratwurst

Bring a pot filled with a few inches of water to a boil. Add the bratwurst; make sure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of water. Boil the bratwurst until they’re cooked through, about 10 minutes. You can serve them straight from boiled or brown their skins on a grill or in a hot pan. Boiling brats in beer is also very popular; see below two of our favorite beer-centric recipes.

What to Serve With Bratwurst

Bratwurst can be loaded into buns like hot dogs and covered with hot dog–style condiments like mustard, onions, relish, sauerkraut and sometimes even cheese. They can also be served knife-and-fork style with any number of sides: caramelized onions, sauerkraut, sautéed cabbage, potato salad, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob are all popular. Beer is the drink most associated with bratwurst, but German Riesling or Austrian Gruner Veltliner are also excellent pairings with these mild sausages.

Bratwurst Recipes: Beer and Beyond

Beer Bratwursts

These delicious brats are boiled in spiced beer and then grilled until browned and caramelized. Optional toppings include sweet-and-sour onions, pepper relish and smoky beer cheese, although a flavorful mustard would work perfectly, too.

Beer-Braised Bratwurst

The brats in this easy recipe get the best of both worlds: They’re first steamed in foil with beer and onions, and then cooked directly on the grill grates to get deliciously browned and smoky. The onions are snuggled into buns alongside the sausages and everything is topped with your choice of condiments.

Bratwurst With Sauerkraut and Apple-Potato Hash

Red-skin potatoes, apples and sage are sautéed for a quick hash, and complement the sauerkraut and creamy mustard sauce in this hearty bratwurst meal. The recipe calls for precooked bratwurst seared in butter; if yours are fresh, you can parboil them in boiling water (or beer) before browning them.

Bratwurst With Potato Cakes

Crispy Yukon gold potato cakes are an excellent companion to pan-seared bratwurst. A quick sauce of whole-grain mustard and sour cream is excellent on both.

Brats n’ Greens

Bratwurst and baby kale? Yes! After all, kale is closely related to cabbage, a classic brat accompaniment, so the combination isn’t as unusual as it sounds. Golden onions and buttered buns round out the dish.

Related Links:

Sausage Recipes for Every Meal

Fresh and Healthy Summer Recipes

The Best Beer Can Chicken Recipes