How Long to Grill a Brat

Are you on a quest to find out the ideal grilling time for a brat? Look no further! We’ve assembled a guide to assist you in figuring out the duration needed to perfectly grill a brat. It’s widely understood that nobody enjoys playing guessing games with their grill, hence why we have gathered all the necessary information to help you estimate the grilling time.

In this blog, we will discuss all the important things about grilling brats along with some different methods of grilling. 

Methods to Grill a Brat 

There are three common approaches to grilling brats. The first two include traditional grilling methods such as over direct heat and indirect heat. The last includes a low and slow method as well as a reverse sear (reverse searing).

Over Direct Heat Method 

The first method of cooking is commonly referred to as “over direct.” This is the easiest method to start with because you can use moderate indirect heat, but it’s hard to cook the brats evenly without burning them on the outside while they cook through.

As a result, you can easily sacrifice a good portion of the meat’s exterior when you sear it, losing the lacquer that forms when the meat is cooked over direct heat. Also, most folks don’t want to cook brats this way because the bark gets burnt before the interior is done. The result will be either burnt hamburger or ‘burnt ends’.

Indirect Heat Method 

The second method of cooking brats is referred to as “indirect heat. ” This method results in a medium temperature, longer cooking time, and evenly cooked brat. The exterior will be crisp when done with a nice golden crust while the inside will be very moist. You can’t ruin this method except by overdoing the marinating and drying.

Low and Slow Method

The third method of cooking is referred to as “low and slow”. This is achieved by cooking brats slowly on low heat which conducts the direct heat slowly through the meat. This method is also referred to as a “reverse sear”. This results in medium-temperature meat with a thin crust and lots of juice. You can easily ruin this method by not letting the brats rest before slicing.

Tips and Reminders for Perfectly Cooked Brats

Tip #1: If you want your brats to have char marks, then you will want to cook them over direct heat.

Tip #2: If you want perfectly cooked brats every time then consider cooking them over indirect heat. This allows for moderate temperature more evenly cooked brats. It also gives you the ability to make a large batch (if needed). You can also get a nice golden crust that adds flavour.

Tip #3: When cooking brats on a charcoal grill, you will want to watch them very closely. They can easily burn on the outside before they’re done on the inside. For this reason, it’s better to cook them over indirect heat. You still have the option of getting char marks or not by flipping them over once or twice while they are cooking.

Tip #4: Always slice your brats open and inspect the interior. If it’s not cooked to your liking (done to the right internal temperature of 160 degrees) then let them rest for about 5 minutes and continue cooking.

Tip #5: When you’re cooking brats on a gas grill, make sure that your grate is clean. This way you don’t cook the residue from the previous grilling. Cleaning your grate will also help to evenly distribute the heat so that you get a medium temperature instead of one that is too hot or too low.

How to grill the brats to the perfect temperature?     

Brats are sold at many different temperatures. Some are hotter than others and you will need to cook them to a specific temperature based upon the internal temperature that you want the brat to have.

If you plan on eating the brat right away, then keep in mind that it will continue cooking after being removed from the heat source and placed into an aluminium pan or onto a plate for resting. The internal temperature of the brat will continue to rise about 10 degrees when it is resting after being placed on a plate.

If you want the brat to be done the way that the folks at Shiner’s like their brats cooked (juicy) then you will want to cook them over medium indirect heat until an internal temperature of 150 degrees is achieved. You can use a meat thermometer or a grilling tip (which is what we prefer). A meat thermometer will give you more accurate results, but a grilling tip will let your mind wander while still keeping an eye on your brats.

How Long to Grill a Brat?

This will depend on the thickness of your brat, the quality of your grill, and how you plan on preparing it. To get a basic idea, it should take about 20 minutes to cook a brat that is 4-5 ounces in size and 1/2 inch thick.

If you are not going to use them right away then you will want to double-check your brats with a meat thermometer. There is no point in having an overdone brat. You can turn them once during the cooking process to even out the cooking.

Summing Up 

So you all know about how long to grill a brat. Hope this article makes it easy for you to grill a brat for your loved ones. So grill them now and enjoy!