Cheesy Grilled Bratwurst Soup
Cheesy Grilled Bratwurst Soup is a hearty, delicious soup, perfect for a day with a chill in the air!
Things to know:
Can you use bratwurst in a soup?
Uhh, you are reading this recipe, right? The answer is absolutely YES!
Is it a good idea to boil brats before grilling?
Whether you boil brats before grilling is a matter of preference, but many experts recommend simmering or poaching them first in beer or broth to ensure they are cooked through and juicy, preventing them from bursting on the grill, like we do in this recipe, while others prefer cooking them straight on the grill for a crispier casing and deeper grilled flavor, arguing boiling can make them mushy. The “best” method depends on your desired outcome: a fully cooked, moist brat with a crisp exterior (simmer then grill) or a smoky, charred brat (grill raw).
What is the best liquid to boil brats in?
This step adds flavor to the brats. You can use beer for a classic flavor or broth if you prefer. Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and let the brats simmer in the liquid for about 20-30 minutes. This helps them cook through and absorb flavor.
Should I cook sausage before adding to soup?
By cooking it ahead of time you get that nice browning on the casing which you wouldn’t get if you simply boiled the sausage. So remember to cook the sausage first because once you add it to the soup you are basically just heating it through.
Why is soup called soup?
The word started out in the Germanic family, from a root that’s since grown into modern words like “supper,” “sup,” and “sop,” and that originally meant “consume something liquid.” This hopped over to Latin at some point before the 6th century to mean, specifically, a piece of bread eaten in a broth, a suppa.
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese
8 bratwurst, preferably cheddar brats
2 12 ounces light-bodied beers, such as pale ale (we used Modelos)
1 T butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 strips bacon, chopped
1/4 cup garlic, minced
4 medium red-skin potatoes, diced
1/4 cup drained and finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T Spiceology’s Vampire Killer seasoning
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup roasted garlic stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Fire up your smoker to 180F. Half fill a smoke tube with pellets and light, the blow out flames, leaving a smolder. Place 1 block of cream cheese on the top shelf, furtherest away from the fire and allow to smoke for 1 hour.
2. Remove cream cheese from smoker. Cut the block in half. Set 1 half aside for use in the soup. Place the other in a Ziplock bag and use later to mix with salsa, or just eat it with Ritz crackers. There is no reason to fire up your smoker for just 1/2 block of cream cheese (in fact, we smoked 3 blocks)!
3. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals on one side of the coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
4. Arrange bratwurst in a disposable aluminum pan and pour in the beers. Place tray on hot side of grill and cook until simmering, about 4 minutes. Slide to cooler side of grill. Cover grill with vents over the bratwurst. Cook with all vents open until sausages register 140 to 145°F (60 to 62°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.
5. Remove grill lid. Using tongs, remove bratwurst and place directly on cooking grates over hot side of grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until well browned and crisp, about 3 minutes total. Remove brats and beer pan from grill. Chop brats into small pieces. Return meat to beer and reserve.
6. In a large stockpot, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 4 minutes. Add bacon and continue to cook until browned. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
7. Stir in potatoes, roasted peppers, cayenne, dry mustard, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Vampire Killer. Raise heat to medium-high. Add reserved brat and beer mixture, along with chicken stock, garlic stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes.
8. Add the heavy cream, and 1 cup of milk. In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup of milk with flour, making sure there are no lumps. Add to soup and stir to mix.
9. Add cheeses, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup is thickened and potatoes are pierced easily with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
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