# Cured Bratwurst



## disco (Feb 7, 2013)

I am a Newbie but I have been grilling for years. I have purchased many store bought Bratwurst and grilled them. They are a favourite. On getting my Bradley Smoker, I purchased a book, Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage. They had a recipe for Cured Bratwurst. I had to give it a try and it turned out great.

I started with grinding 75% pork shoulder and 25% chicken thighs.













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 I mixed seasonings, powdered milk and syrup.













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Beat the meat and seasonings with the paddle of my stand mixer.













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I stuffed them using the sausage attachment on my Kitchen Aid. This is my second attempt at sausage and I am now convinced that I need a sausage stuffer rather than the attachement on the Kitchen Aid. Any advice as to what kind of sausage stuffer to purchase would be appreciated.













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I twisted the sausage into links.













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I cold smoked them for 2 hours over hickory and then increased the temperature and cooked them to 160 F (they had poultry in them.)













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The finished product was so good, it may have ruined me for grilled fresh bratwurst.













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## BGKYSmoker (Feb 7, 2013)

Looks good

You did use cure?

Great choice in a smoker too.


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## kathrynn (Feb 7, 2013)

Oh yummmm!  Those look great!


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## diggingdogfarm (Feb 7, 2013)

They look real good!

Warren Anderson wrote a good book (minus the fermented-style sausages chapter), probably the best book for beginners.



~Martin


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## disco (Feb 7, 2013)

Yes, I used Prague Powder #1. By the way, I love your avatar!


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## disco (Feb 7, 2013)

Do you remember the title of Warren's book? I am really enjoying the smoker and would love more inspiration.


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## diggingdogfarm (Feb 7, 2013)

He wrote two books, the one you mentioned "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" and "Mastering the Craft of Smoking Food".


~Martin


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## disco (Feb 7, 2013)

Obviously, my response reflected my age related mental feebleness. I only remembered the name of the book, not the author. However, I will look for his second book. Thanks!


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## boykjo (Feb 8, 2013)

Great looking sausage.............
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





       Just a heads up...    If you use poultry in sausage, take it to an internal temp of 165....

*USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures*

Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
Joe


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## disco (Feb 8, 2013)

Thanks. I did cook it to 165 C from advice I read on this forum!


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## roller (Feb 8, 2013)

They look perfect...


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## driedstick (Feb 8, 2013)

Very Nice


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## disco (Feb 8, 2013)

As a follow up, here is a picture of the buns I made for the bratwurst.













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## kathrynn (Feb 8, 2013)

Beautiful Bread!  Woot woot!


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## idasmoker (Feb 8, 2013)

Disco,

I would love to try your bun recipe.  Thanks.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 8, 2013)

Great looking Brats and fantastic looking buns!


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## disco (Feb 8, 2013)

It is a very easy recipe I have been making for a while now. I found it on the web and the link is http://www.breadworld.com/Recipe.aspx?id=967. The changes I have made to the recipe over the years are:

I substitute 25% of the white flour with whole wheat flour. I just like the flavour and texture better.
If I am making them for hot dogs, I make 8 buns. If I am making them for Bratwurst, I make 6 not 5 buns and they seem to come out just the right size.
I like them way more than store bought.


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## jp61 (Feb 8, 2013)

Very nice indeed!


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## driedstick (Feb 8, 2013)

Looks great


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## wes w (Feb 8, 2013)

Looks awesome!


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## toby bryant (Feb 8, 2013)

Those are some great looking brats and thanks for posting the link to the fresh buns. I will definitely be making fresh baked buns the next time I throw some brats on the smoker.


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## idasmoker (Feb 9, 2013)

Disco, thanks for the link to the buns.  A good brat deserves a good bun.  The pics you posted are enough to convince me to make both real soon.


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## BGKYSmoker (Feb 9, 2013)

You got nice buns too


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## wes w (Feb 9, 2013)

Disco said:


> I stuffed them using the sausage attachment on my Kitchen Aid. This is my second attempt at sausage and I am now convinced that I need a sausage stuffer rather than the attachement on the Kitchen Aid. Any advice as to what kind of sausage stuffer to purchase would be appreciated.


Great looking Brats.  

I am also new to stuffing sausage.   I bought the LEM5# on for around $150.00.   I stuffed my first kielbasa yesterday.  I don't know a lot about stuffers but it worked smooth with no issues.  Metal gears, easy to clean.   I ordered the 3/8 tube at the same time so I could stuff snack sticks. 

Wes


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## michael ark (Feb 9, 2013)

Dude you made my dream meal. A little homemade chili and sour cabbage and you would be my hero.   Ha ha. No realy. You gi joe and bozo the clown. Yea I'm a child of the 70's and I know how to disco and don't mess with bozo he was a marine.


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## disco (Feb 9, 2013)

Fortunately they aren't buttered.


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## disco (Feb 9, 2013)

Thanks. I will look into that. Hopefully it will be available here in Canada. Kielbasa is one of my favourites and something I intend to try and make on my own soon.


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## disco (Feb 9, 2013)

Chili and bratwurst? I've never tried it but, thinking about it, it would be like a better chili dog. I am inspired!


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## weisswurst (Feb 15, 2013)

Here I am again ,  wiping drool off my key board.A newbe? Are you sure? Looks great!! I would follow Boykjos references to safe temps. Also when you need to cure is deathly important. " We have been doing it this way  ( unsafely ) for years and no one has died yet " , is not sound advice. Happy SM Weisswurst.


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## disco (Feb 15, 2013)

I assure you I am newbie re smoking. I got my Bradley Smoker in Novemeber 2012. I have been grilling and cooking for years though. Thanks for the kind words.


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## Dutch (Feb 15, 2013)

Disco-great job on the Brats. I've been making bread for years and never really gave much thought to making my own brat buns.  You good sir, have inspired me to try something different.

I used to use the stuffing tubes on my KA and the only way I could get fair results was to have the meat really cold and wet.  Ma Dutch gave me a 5 lb stuffer from Northern Tool for Christmas two years ago and it's sure speeds things up.  Although the NT stuffer has nylon gears, if you pay attention to what you are doing, you'll avoid striping the gears.  I've read somewhere that the metal replacement gears for the LEM 5 lb stuffer will work on the NT Stuffer~I haven't had to replace my gears yet but if the metal gears will swap in, that's the route that I'll go when the inevitable happens.


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## diesel (Feb 15, 2013)

Disco,

very nice job on the brats!  And thanks for the bun recipe.  You mentioned kielbasa.  I highly recommend making those.  Very easy and very good.  I have the LEM stuffer and have been very pleased with it.

Aaron.


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## rong (Feb 15, 2013)

I am in awe of all of you!!!


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## chef willie (Feb 15, 2013)

NIce.....thx for the link....I could knock off 2 or 3 of those


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## disco (Feb 15, 2013)

I am glad to hear you have been ok with a plastic geared stuffer. The problem with living in Canada is that getting stuff shipped from the US which involves our customs people who have arcane rules and can be expensive. A local merchant has an Omcan stuffer that I was considering but it has plastic gears. I was wavering between ordering an LEM from the US and taking a chance on the plastic geared Omcan and your advice is helpful.

If you are making your own bread, you have to make your won Brat buns! I'm sure your bread is way better than store bought.

If you want to try something different, shape a larger flatter roll. When you serve your brat, cut it in half lengthwise, put it on the bun with your favourite mustard, bacon slices, chopped pickles and tobacco browned onions. On second thought don't. That is one of the things that has made me fat.


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## disco (Feb 15, 2013)

Don't be in awe, cook!


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## disco (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks. I have heard good things about the LEM.


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## weisswurst (Feb 15, 2013)

I am right across the river from Sarnia ontario.My stuffer has plastic gears. No problem. For me the ultimate stuffer would be the old one that is horizontal and has two gears.The lower gear is to get the meat packed in stuffer , did a great job of getting rid of air.Then the higher gear  pushed the meat into casing. But that is by gone.Happy SM Weisswurst


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## pearlheartgtr (Feb 15, 2013)

If you have a friend in the US, you can have the stuffer shipped to them (if you find one with free shipping) and then have them ship it to you as a gift.


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