Beer Braised Brats and Cabbage

This Beer-Braised Brats and Cabbage recipe is perfect for tailgating! Pork brats and veggies are roasted in your favorite beer, then served on toasted buns with gooey provolone! 

if you’re anything like me, the part of Fall you look forward to the most is tailgating. And the part of tailgating you look forward to the most is the food that comes with it. I am a sucker for the hearty dips, hottest wings, and of course brats. 

These beer-braised brats and cabbage are perfect for tailgating or watching a big game. Brats are braised in your favorite beer with onions, peppers, cabbage, and seasoning and served on rolls with melty cheese. You can make everything ahead of time and finish them off on the grill like I do with my campfire paninis or you can cook them up in the oven when you’re ready to enjoy!

It just doesn’t get better than that!

What you need to make this recipe

• Olive Oil 
• Pork Brats
• Cabbage – cut into wedges to roast. 
• Onions and Peppers – I use both red and green peppers to give the sandwiches some color.
• Salt, Pepper, Caraway Seeds, and Garlic Powder –
• Beer – you can use any beer you like! I usually avoid IPAs and go for stout or porter.
• Rolls – use a good quality roll. This recipe deserves it!
• Provolone Cheese – or whatever cheese you like.

How to make sheet pan beer-braised brats and cabbage

Drizzle oil onto a baking sheet, then add the brats, cabbage, onions, and peppers. Season with salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and garlic powder, then add the beer to the pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Once the mixture is cooked, strain the liquid and chop the cabbage. 

Arrange the rolls on a clean work surface and top with cheese. Top with the brats, onions, peppers, and cabbage, then wrap each roll tightly in foil. 

At this point you can either grill or bake the sandwiches If you’re grilling them, preheat the grill, add on the sandwiches, and heat until the cheese is melted. If you’re baking them, warm at 350ºF until the cheese has melted.

What’s the best beer to cook brats in?

Call me unfussy or frugal, but the best beer to use is the one in your fridge. You can’t really go wrong! However, if you are heading out to buy beer anyway, I usually prefer a basic porter or stout. I tend to avoid IPAs for beer brats because their flavor tends to overpower the brats.

Serving suggestions

I love to serve the beer-braised brats and cabbage on a hearty roll with thick grainy mustard. If I’m serving these with side dishes, I love smoked potato salad or corn on the cob.

Can you make beer brats ahead of time?

Yes! Beer brats are amazing tailgating eats so I love being able to prep ahead of time. You can either cook the brats alone then store them in the fridge for 3 days or you can cook the brats and veggies as instructed and store that mixture in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can reheat the brats on the grill set to medium-high heat or warm them in the oven. The filling can be reheated in a skillet on the stove or on a sheet pan in the oven.

Once the sandwiches are assembled, they are definitely best served right away so the buns don’t get soggy!

More tailgating inspiration

This recipe is perfect for tailgating or watching the big game. You can make everything ahead and then finish them off over the grill or in the oven when ready to enjoy!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

• Drizzle olive oil over a rimmed baking sheet.

• Toss the brats, cabbage, onions and peppers onto the sheet.

• Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the caraway seeds and garlic powder over everything and shimmy the baking sheet to cover everything with oil.

• Carefully add the beer to the baking dish.

• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cabbage is browned and tender.

• Strain the liquid.

• When cool enough to touch, chop the cabbage roughly.

• Meanwhile, arrange rolls on a clean work surface and line with cheese.

• Spoon the brats, onions, peppers, and chopped cabbage into the rolls and wrap each tightly in foil.

• When ready to grill, preheat the grilled and toss the sandwiches on to heat through and melt the cheese.

• Alternatively, bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the sandwiches are heated through and the cheese is melted.

• Peel back the foil and devour.

• Serve with a thick grainy mustard if desired.

Calories: 930kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1791mg | Potassium: 1158mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 182.8mg | Calcium: 580mg | Iron: 13.2mg

Course: sandwich

Cuisine: American