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This recipe for smoked brats in beer on a Traeger is your ticket to a delicious, gluten-free meal that’s easy to make and full of flavor. Using your Traeger grill or pellet smoker, you can make smoked bratwurst in a beer bath with just six ingredients. Serve with mustard and buns for a meal that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Smoked brats with mustard and onions on a plate.

These brats on traeger are the most delicious smoked brats you’ve ever tasted, thanks to the beer bath that instills an incredible flavor.

If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy my other easy and tasty smoker recipes. Try this delicious smoked brisket sandwich with homemade pickled red onions or a tasty smoked beer can chicken with Mexican BBQ sauce

Hot dogs on buns with mustard and onions, served with Traeger smoked bratwurst.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect for Gatherings: This recipe is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for family gatherings or casual dinners. The classic flavors of bratwurst and onions, enhanced with a hint of beer, make this a comfort food that everyone will love.
Packed with Flavor: The combination of bratwurst, mustard powder, and chili powder creates a flavor-packed dish that’s simply unforgettable. The smoked butter adds a unique twist, making this dish a true showstopper.
Foolproof:
With the Traeger doing most of the work, all you need to do is assemble the ingredients and let the magic happen. The result? Perfectly smoked brats you’ll fall in love with!

Traeger smoked brats with mustard on a black background.

Smoked Brats in Beer Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Bratwurst: The star of the dish, these uncooked brats will be transformed into juicy, flavour-packed sausages. You’ll need a package of raw brats for this recipe.
Beer: This will be used to make a beer bath for the brats, impart a light flavour to the sausages. You can use wheat beer or lager, or any kind you happen to have on hand.
White Onion: This humble ingredient will add a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor to the dish.
Unsalted Butter: We’ll smoke the butter in the smoker as well for added flavour and richness to the brats.
Mustard Powder: A pinch of this will add a tangy kick to the brats, complement the other flavours perfectly.
Chili Powder: This will add a hint of heat to the dish, making our smoked brats even more delicious.

Wooden table, sausages, onions, beer

How to Make Smoked Brats in a Beer Bath

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Smoke the brats: Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F. Place the brats directly onto the grill grates and smoke for 30 minutes.
Make the sauce: Add butter, mustard powder, and chill powder to a saucepan and place it in the smoker. Flip the brats over and smoke for another 30 minutes.
Add onion and beer mixture: Reduce the smoker’s temperature to 180 degrees F. Slice the onions and add them to a tin. Pour in the beer and ¼ cup of the smoked butter.
Smoke with the mixture: Add the brats to the onion and beer mixture and place back into the smoker. Smoke for 2 hours, ensuring the brats reach 160 degrees F.
Toast buns and serve: Brush the buns with smoked butter and toast them for 10 minutes in the smoker. Place the brats in the toasted buns, drizzle with Dijon, and top with onions.

A Traeger smoked bratwurst with mustard and onions.

Substitutions and Variations

Beer Alternative: If you’re not a beer drinker, you can replace the beer with a gluten-free beef or vegetable broth for a similar depth of flavor.
Butter: If you’re dairy-free, you can use a dairy-free butter substitute or even olive oil instead of the unsalted butter.
Spices: Feel free to experiment with other spices such as garlic powder, paprika, or even a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
Optional Additions: If you like a bit of heat, feel free to add some hot sauce or extra chili powder to the beer bath.

Traeger smoked brats with mustard and onions on a tray.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Smoked potato salad with bacon is a great starter to complement your brats on Traeger. The smoky flavor of the bacon pairs well with the brats, setting the tone for the main course.
Side Dish: A refreshing watermelon feta cucumber salad or a shaved Brussels sprout slaw with lemon apple cider vinaigrette would make a perfect side dish. These salads add a fresh and tangy contrast to the rich, smoky brats.
Drinks: A sparkling strawberry lemonade or a sweet and tangy watermelon Paloma cocktail would be the perfect refreshing accompaniment to your meal.
Dessert: If you’re still hungry after enjoying the smoked brats in beer, why not try a German dessert? Kaiserschmarrn is popular in Austria, as well as Germany, and this vegan kaiserschmarrn recipe is really good.

Traeger smoked bratwurst with mustard and chips on a tray.

How to Store Brats Made On a Traeger 

Store: After enjoying your Traeger smoked brats, if you find yourself with leftovers, simply place them in an airtight container and pop them into the fridge. They’ll stay fresh and tasty for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Unfortunately, freezing Traeger brats isn’t recommended as it can affect the texture and flavor of the sausages.
Reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy your refrigerated brats again, you can either warm them up in the microwave or heat them in a hot oven until they’re thoroughly warmed through.

A group of Traeger smoked brats with mustard on them.

Top Tips 

Preheat Your Smoker: Always preheat your smoker to the right temperature before placing your brats on the grill. This ensures they cook evenly and achieve a delicious smoky flavor.
Make Use of the Smoked Butter: Brush your buns with the smoked butter before toasting them in the smoker. This will give them a unique, smoky flavor that complements the brats perfectly.
Monitor the Temperature: Keep an eye on the temperature of your brats while they’re smoking. They should reach 160 degrees F to ensure they’re fully cooked and safe to eat.

Hot dogs on a plate with smoked brats in beer and chips.

Smoked Beer Brats FAQs

What is the history of Bratwurst?

Bratwurst sausages, affectionately known as brats, originate from Germany. The term ‘bratwurst’ comes from Old German, where ‘brat’ meant no waste and ‘wurst’ referred to sausage. Traditionally, brats were made from meat scraps and encased in a thin skin, usually animal intestine, to ensure no part of the meat was wasted. Today, the flavour remains similar, but synthetic casings are more commonly used.

Why are the brats smoked in a beer bath?

Smoking brats in a beer bath is a popular method due to the unique flavour it imparts. The smoke adds a distinct flavour to the brats, while the beer helps to tenderize the sausage casings, adding a robust flavour. Historically, brats were soaked in hot beer to partially cook them, ensuring they were fully cooked through before grilling.

What other toppings can be added to the brats?

To enhance the German appeal, you could add some warmed sauerkraut to each brat before serving. Other non-traditional toppings that can be added include ketchup, mayonnaise, cheese, relish, tomatoes, or even pickled jalapenos. These toppings can add an extra layer of flavour and texture to your brats.

Smoked brats with mustard and onions on a black plate.

Smoked Brats in Beer Recipe

5 from 52 votes

Smoked Brats in Beer

Smoked brats in beer make a delicious meal. Use your Traeger grill or pellet smoker to make smoked bratwurst in a beer bath and enjoy this delicacy with all your favourite sides. You only need 6 ingredients to make this brats on smoker recipe.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 9

Ingredients 

  • 9 Bratwurst, uncooked
  • 1 white onion, sliced
  • 12 Ounces beer, lager or wheat
  • ½ Cup unsalted butter
  • ½ Teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ Teaspoon chili powder

For Serving:

Instructions 

  • Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
  • Place brats directly onto the grill grates. Smoke for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, add butter, mustard powder, and chili powder to a saucepan and place into the smoker.
  • Turn brats over and smoke for 30 more minutes.
  • Remove the brats from the smoker.
  • Lower the temperature to 180 degrees F.
  • Slice the onions and add to a tin. Pour in the beer and ¼ cup of the smoked butter. Add the brats and place back into the smoker. Smoke for 2 hours. ( Cook the brats to 160 degrees F)
  • Brush buns with smoked butter and toast for 10 minutes in the smoker.
  • Add brats to the buns. Drizzle with Dijon and top with onions.

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 564mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Although there are many brats on smoker recipes to choose from, these smoked brats in beer boast so much flavor. So if you’re in the mood for smoked bratwurst, get the Traeger grill or pellet smoker fired up and get ready for an authentic German culinary experience!

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Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.

 

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Recipe Rating




5 from 52 votes (48 ratings without comment)

4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is such an amazing recipe! So unique!! We enjoyed this yesterday and my family is sking for more so I’m making them again on weekend. 😋