Bratwurst Stew With Potatoes and Cabbage

Bratwurst stew is a one-pot supper for a cold night. Brown the bratwurst in a Dutch oven, slice it into thick coins, and soften an onion in the drippings. Stir in a little flour, a bottle of beer and some stock, then the brats, potatoes and carrots, and simmer for 20 minutes before the cabbage goes in for 10 to 15 more. A spoonful of mustard and a splash of cider vinegar keep it bright.

Garlic bratwurst is the right sausage for it. The links hold together in the pot and give their fat and seasoning to the broth, and the garlic means the stew needs little more than salt and pepper at the end.

At a glance: serves 6 to 8. Prep 20 minutes, cook about 1 hour.

Gray Shipley, who runs the farm, was asked what "no shortcuts" means at Shipley Farms. He was talking about how the farm is run, not about cooking, and part of his answer was this:

“we'll put in the extra effort to do things right.”

Gray Shipley

In a pot of stew, the extra effort is about ten minutes at the start. Browning the bratwurst properly, in batches if need be, before anything else goes in is an easy step to skip, and it is the one that matters most. The browned casings give the stew a deeper flavor, and the browned bits left on the bottom of the pot dissolve into the beer and become the base of the broth.

Ingredients

• 2 packs pork garlic bratwurst links, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds in all
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) lager or amber beer, or 1 1/2 cups more stock
• 3 cups chicken or beef stock
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain or Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 small head green cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 cups drained sauerkraut
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a 6- to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bratwurst in a single layer, in two batches if they do not fit, and brown them on all sides, turning every couple of minutes, for 8 to 10 minutes per batch. They will not be cooked through yet. Move them to a cutting board.
2. When the brats are cool enough to handle, slice them into 1-inch coins. The centers are still raw, so keep this board and knife away from anything that will not be cooked.
3. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add the butter, the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the caraway seeds, if using, for the last 30 seconds.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the beer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, mustard, thyme and bay leaf.
5. Add the potatoes, carrots and sliced bratwurst. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the stew simmers gently. Partly cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
6. Stir in the cabbage or sauerkraut and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the potatoes and cabbage are tender and a thick piece of bratwurst reads 160 degrees F in the center.
7. Skim off any fat pooled on the surface. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Scatter with parsley and serve in bowls with crusty bread.

Add 2 packs of pork garlic bratwurst to cart

Beer or stock?

A mild lager or an amber beer gives the broth a gentle, malty depth that suits bratwurst. Avoid very hoppy beers such as IPAs, because their bitterness concentrates as the stew simmers. If you would rather leave the beer out, use 1 1/2 cups more stock and add an extra teaspoon of mustard or a little more cider vinegar at the end for some of the same tang.

Cabbage or sauerkraut?

Fresh cabbage cooks down soft and sweet and makes a milder, more soup-like stew. Sauerkraut makes it tangier, closer to a German braise. If you use sauerkraut, drain it, and taste the stew before adding the vinegar, since you may not need it. You can also use some of each: a cup of sauerkraut and a quarter head of cabbage.

Keeping the stew from turning greasy

Bratwurst gives off a fair amount of fat as it browns and simmers. Pouring off all but a tablespoon after browning takes care of most of it. Any that rises to the surface during the simmer is easy to skim with a wide, shallow spoon, or lay a paper towel on the surface for a second and lift it off. If you make the stew a day ahead, the fat sets on top in the refrigerator and lifts off in one piece. Why Did My Braise Turn Out Greasy?, linked below, has more on why it happens.

Making it ahead

Like most stews, this one tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have settled. Cool it, refrigerate it promptly in a covered container, and reheat it on the stove over medium heat until it simmers and reaches 165 degrees F, the FSIS figure for leftovers. Add a splash of stock if the potatoes have soaked up too much of the broth. It freezes too, though the potatoes turn a little soft when thawed.

For a tailgate or a crowd, the whole pot travels well in its Dutch oven, wrapped in a towel. Set out mustard, rye bread and pickles on the side.

Food safety

This recipe is written for fresh bratwurst, which is raw sausage, and sausage is ground meat. USDA FSIS lists 160 degrees F as the safe minimum internal temperature for ground meats. The brats are only browned at first, so they are still raw in the middle when you slice them, and the simmer finishes them. Check a thick piece with an instant-read thermometer before serving. FSIS lists 165 degrees F for reheating leftovers. Wash the board and knife after slicing the browned links. See the FSIS Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart.