These easy beer brats can be made in your slow cooker or Instant Pot. Make this bratwursts recipe for your next game day or family dinner.

PIN FOR LATER
Updated 2020 with Instant Pot instructions
What Are Brats
The term ‘brats’ is short for bratwurst. Bratwurst is a type of sausage that originated in Germany but is made around the world. In the United States, Wisconsin in particular is known for not just bratwursts but for creating beer brats. Beer brats are bratwursts that have been simmered in beer with onions and then grilled before serving. Bratwursts are sold in nationwide grocery stores, they should not be hard to find or too expensive.

before (slow cooker)
What Type Of Beer To Use
Your preferred beer! I used Rolling Rock because I don’t drink beer so I went with the beer my late Grandfather used to drink. In general lagers are good beers to use with beer brats because their flavor don’t take away from the brat. They’re also affordable & you can pretty much find them anywhere.

after (slow cooker)
Grill or Broil
When they’re done cooking in their beer bath, beer brats are then removed and then either grilled or broiled until they’re nice & crisp. If you use the slow cooker to make this recipe, this is listed in the instructions. Since pressure cookers have a saute function, you pre-cook the sausage directly in the appliance so there’s no need to grill or broil the sausage afterwards. Unless you want to. Sometimes I still find that after the beer bath in the Instant Pot my sausage still need to go under my broiler for a few minutes.
Other sausage recipes you might enjoy:
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Cajun Chicken & Sausage (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Sausage, Potatoes & Green Beans (Paleo, Whole30)
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Sausage, Onions & Pepper (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)
https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/slow-cooker-apple-dijon-sausage-sauerkraut/
How To Serve Beer Brats
Of course you serve your beer brats with the onions that were cooked along with them. Aside from that, the sky is the limit with what on a bun with your favorite condiments. Ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.
I cooked 5 brats in a 3.5-quart slow cooker for this recipe. Double the recipe & use your larger slow cooker or pressure cooker to feed a larger crowd.

PIN FOR LATER

{VIDEO} Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Beer Brats
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 5 bratwursts, uncooked
- 1 medium-size onion, sliced
- 24 ounces beer
- 1 /2 tsp garlic powder
- Pinch salt & pepper
- 1 tbsp oil or butter (for pressure cooker)
Instructions
- Add onion to the slow cooker. Add bratwursts on top.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour beer on top.
- Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
- Remove brats from the slow cooker. Either place on a baking sheet & heat under the broiler for 3-5 minutes OR grill over medium-high heat.
- Turn on the pressure cooker and select sauté. Once hot add buttter/oil and the brats. Cook 2-4 minutes on each side or until browned to your liking.
- Remove brats. Add onions and cook 3-5 minutes or until soft. Turn off pressure cooker.
- Pour in beer and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Stir in garlic powder, salt & pepper. Add bratwursts.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure for 6 minutes. When done, quick release the pressure.
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This is perfect for Super Bowl! Cant wait to try it- I really like the idea to sear the outside for a grilled look