# smoking brats



## sundaysmoker (Jul 3, 2005)

Does anyone know approx how long brats will take in the smoker ???

I'm trying to plan breakfast, lunch, & dinner.

Fatties in the morning 
Brats early afternoon
Pork tenderloin in the evening 


Should be a great day!
Patrick


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## TulsaJeff (Jul 3, 2005)

It has been a while since I did brats, Patrick.. I am thinking a couple of hours at 225 degrees ot until they reach an internal temperature of 155 to 160.

I will look around and see if I can find something a little more definite.

I did know a guy who used to soak his brats in beer overnight before smoking them.


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## jbakerii (Jul 3, 2005)

Patrick,

If you are talking about precooked brats like Johnsinville then you only have to leave them in for two to three hours.  They are already cooked, so the only thing you need to do is warm them up and get some smoke into them.  I did some yesterday, along with some artichole and garlic sausages I got at Costco, while smoking a couple of eye round roasts.  The sausages only took about two and a half hours before I took them out.  The only thing you want to make sure to do is pierce the skin on each sausage with the tip of a knife a few times.  I read about doing this to keep the sausage from splitting, or even blowing up, while in the smoker.  I know that when I grill them they split all the time, but I don;t care then because I am just slapping them on a hotdog bun with mustard.  Mine that I smoked yesterday didn't split at all.

I am new to this smoking stuff because even though I have been grilling and barbecueing for decades I just got my first smoker a week efore Father's Day.  It was an early Father's Day present from my wife.   She said it was a gift that would keep giving back to her in the form of good que.  I have been reading a lot on the net and have learned a lot from it.

John


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## sundaysmoker (Jul 3, 2005)

Thanks for the info.

I am new to this also. Igot my smoker as an early fathers day gift as well.  It's a lot of fun. 

happy smoking


Patrick


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## soflaquer (Jul 3, 2005)

Boy..........there's alot of happy Fathers out there!  Patrick, I'm glad to see you made it over to the new Forum!

Jeff


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## mikeyinokc (Jul 4, 2005)

Patrick, just fyi. Not all Johsonvill Brats are already cooked. They have a line of brats that are raw and need to be cooked, just read the label and you can tell the difference.

I like to cook the uncooked  brats on the stove in a pot of beer and onions til almost done. Then finish them in the smoker or grill.


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## shaneholz (Jul 5, 2005)

I actually do these all the time from fresh and I've found a 2-3 hours in the smoker and then I pull them and finish on the bbq or oven. Great smoked flavor. I would not poke them prior cause you will lose all the juice and they will have a tendancy to dry out. 
Shane


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## soflaquer (Jul 5, 2005)

This is the Man to talk to about Brats!  Shane, I was waiting for you to get registered so you could interject your knowledge on this subject.  If any members have any questions on Home Made Sausages......this is the Brother to turn to!

Jeff


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## brianj517 (Jul 5, 2005)

I actually smoke brats all the time as a lunch or snack item to have while I wait for something else like a shoulder or butt to finish. I usually choose fresh brats from my local butcher and pre-cook briefly by simmering in beer, laced with a little garlic and onion. Then I put 'em on the rack just above the main meat, so as to make good use of any drippins! Two to Two and a half hours at 225* usually does the trick. Then just toss 'em in a bun and smother with grilled onions & Peppers....mmm....mmm. Or slice 'em up and serve as an easy appetizer along side some mouth watering ABT's.

Best of luck!
Brian in Ohio


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## sundaysmoker (Jul 6, 2005)

Thanks to everyone for the great info - 

everything was a hit!!  the brats cooked for approx 3 hours and they were very good and juicy.

thanks again 

Patrick


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## Dutch (Jul 15, 2005)

Shane, I'm looking for a good Brat recipe. Do you have a recipe that you can share?


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## shaneholz (Jul 18, 2005)

Sure will Earl, Give me a day to dig it up. Sorry I got back this late, I was out of town the last three days. I'll put it on tomorrow for you.


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## Dutch (Jul 19, 2005)

Thanks Shane, I'll watch for it.


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## shaneholz (Jul 19, 2005)

HERE YOU GO!

FOR 10LBS OF BRATWURST

2 LEVEL TSP OF INSTACURE #1 IF SMOKING
2 CUPS WHOLE MILK     COLD
3 WHOLE EGGS
2 CUPS SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
1 TB GROUND WHITE PEPPER
1 TB MACE
1 TSP GINGER
1 TB NUTMEG
4 TB SALT
2 LBS BONELESS VEAL
8 LBS GROUND PORK BUTT

GRIND ALL THE MEAT THROUGH A Â¼ PLATE. YOU CAN RUN IT IN A FOOD PROCESSOR TILL EMULSIFIED BUT I LIKE IT WITHOUT DOING THAT. MIX ALL INGREDIENTS VERY WELL AND STUFF INTO 32-35 MM HOG CASINGS.
AT THIS POINT YOU CAN EITHER FREEZE AND LATER COOK FRESH OR YOU CAN PRECOOK SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HEAT UP OR SMOKE.

IF SMOKING I RUN MINE AT 130-150 FOR A HOUR LETTING THE CASINGS DRY FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR. THEN I INCREASE THE TEMP TO ABOUT 175 AND HOLD AT THAT LEVEL TILL INTERNAL TEMP OF 152 IS REACHED. I HAVE NEVER TRIED GOING ABOUT 225 FOR BOX TEMP BUT I DONâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]T THINK IT WOULD HURT, JUST BE QUICKER. EITHER WAY WHEN INTERNAL TEMP IS REACHED TAKE OUT AND GIVE THEM A COLD SHOWER UNTIL THE INTERNAL TEMP REACHES 110. THIS WILL HELP YOUR CASINGS FROM SHRINKING BADLY. ENJOY AND LET ME KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT


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## Dutch (Jul 19, 2005)

Thanks, Shane.

I'll give these a try and get back to you.


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## cheech (May 14, 2007)

Dutch did you ever give this recipe a try? 

Kinda curious myself


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## hhersh (May 15, 2007)

........Please excuse my ignorance, but what is an ABT ??
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 (NEVER MIND, I JUST SAW WHAT IT MEANT IT HIGHLIGHTED WHEN I ASKED )


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## shellbellc (May 15, 2007)

Hey Cheech, 
Thanks for bumping this.  What's soy protein concentrate?????


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## teacup13 (May 15, 2007)

here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_protein

it takes the place of wheat products basically ie. breadcrumbs

And, i boil my brats a little bit first in a good quality beer, not bud or coors for about 10 minutes to get the some of the grease out, grill or smoke to correct temp... serve on a good brat roll, good mustard, saurkraut....meal fit for a king


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## shellbellc (May 16, 2007)

Thanks Tea Cup!  Do you know are you able to substitute actual bread for it???  When ever we use beer for a boil, we use Yuengling.  It's a lager that adds a nice bold beer flavor.


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## teacup13 (May 16, 2007)

i am not real sure if you substitute actual bread for it, i think you could add breadcrumbs to the mixture but probably not as many

i use JW Honeybrown when i do brats. surprisingly, RollingRock is not a bad beer either


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## shellbellc (May 16, 2007)

Never had the JW Honeybrown, but Rock is popular here...8 oz bottles, never get warm!


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## walking dude (Sep 28, 2007)

dutch.........you ever try out this recipe for the brats?



dude


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