How Long to Boil Brats?

The smell of grilled bratwurst can remind you of a family and friends’ BBQ, replete with staples like marinated meat on skewers, burgers, plenty of beer plus lots of laughter and good memories.

However, you don’t have to wait for the weekend or a special occasion to sample some brats, because you can enjoy them (wedged in between toasted buns with mustard and mayo) anytime at home.

These sausages provide that oomph of perfectly blended meat and spices, and if you know how to cook them right, you can indulge in brats anytime. You’ll be surprised at just how long it takes to boil brats!

What Are Brats?

Some may call them sausages, and there’s some truth to that, because brats (or bratwurst) are German sausages made with meat (usually beef, pork or veal). They come in different varieties, primarily based on the place where they were made. These sausages are well-known for their rich taste, all thanks to the abundance of herbs and spices, including caraway, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, paprika and sage, which makes every bite an explosion of flavor.

Today, brats can be purchased raw, uncooked and pre-cooked. What’s practical about brats is you have plenty of ways to cook them: you can boil, grill, smoke and even simmer them.

Here are some of the common ways to eat and serve brats:

• Putting it in a bun
• Adding it to stews and soups
• Making it as the main dish with a side of potato salad and sauerkraut
• Using it as a topping for pizza

What Are the Different Kinds of Brats?

While brats are made using almost the same ingredients, they have several regional variations, making them uniquely different. You may only be familiar with what your local supermarket offers, but there are many styles and kinds of brats in Germany.

Before we get to how long to boil bratwursts, here are some types of bratwurst:

1. The Classic Bratwurst

These brats are the ones you can buy at grocery stores. These are considered zero-waste sausages, so expect more fat content. Classic brats are also made using animal intestines, a natural casing for the meat.

2. Kulmbacher Bratwurst

This kind of brat hails from Kulmbach, a city in Bavaria. What sets this apart is its longer and thinner appearance, and, usually, this is made from veal with only small portions of pork added to the meat mixture. It also boasts a salty taste, which is further intensified by white pepper and nutmeg.

3. Bierwurst

If you want your brats to have that spicy mustard kick, then this sausage is for you. Making this sausage entails plenty of seasoning, and the meat used is cured, smoked and then cured again. It is then blanched to help prolong its shelf life. Despite this sausage’s name being translated to “beer sausage,” no beer is used to prepare these brats, but they are best described as the ideal meal pair for beer.

4. Würzburger Bratwurst

Yes, you guessed it! These brats hail from Würzburg; what makes it unique is that the meat used in these sausages is combined with the city’s white wine.

5. Nürnberger Rostbratwurst

This bratwurst variation is made of ground pork and marjoram and then grilled over beechwood. This is the roasted version of brats that originated in Nuremberg.

Is Boiling Brats a Prerequisite?

Boiling your bratwurst is optional. Many people, though, opt to pre-boil these German sausages before frying or grilling them, with the primary intention of ensuring that, internally, the meat is evenly cooked. Boiling is also the cooking method with the quickest cooking time, so you don’t have to wait long to satisfy your brat’s craving.

Additionally, boiling your brats permits juices and fat to release from the meat, thus affording you leaner and healthier sausages, making it much more enjoyable to indulge in.

If you want to skip boiling, you can certainly do so, but you have to ensure an even cook on all sides without burning it. You also have to grill or fry it on low heat while ensuring that the insides are cooked before fully increasing the temperature and searing the outside of the sausage.

How Long Do You Need to Boil Brats?

With this in mind, pre-boiling is the most practical thing to do, but the next question is how long to boil brats? The boiling time is dependent on how you like your brats. If you want to infuse your sausage with additional flavors without thoroughly cooking it, simmering it for a maximum of 10 minutes is enough.

Also, the type and size of the brats influence the boiling time. But boiling your German sausages for 10 to 12 minutes is generally enough (even for raw brats). Once the brats reach the internal temperature of 160 °F (71 °C), you can be confident that they are already cooked throughout, and you can remove them from the boiling pot and serve.

Remember, though, that you don’t want to boil your bratwurst if already pre-cooked. Boiling it can cause it to become rubbery, tough and hard to chew.

How Long to Boil Frozen Brats?

How long do brats need to boil? Fresh from the freezer, you can boil brats for up to 20 minutes. You’ll know if they’re ready if the sausages start floating to the surface. Simmering frozen brats takes longer compared to thawed ones.

How Long to Boil Brats Before Grilling?

Before grilling your brats, boil them for up to 10 minutes, transfer them to your grill and cook them for another 5 to 10 minutes. If the brats came from the freezer, add 10 more minutes to the boiling time.

How Long to Grill Brats After Boiling?

After boiling and simmering your brats, you can transfer them to your grill and let them sear for 5 to 10 minutes. Frequently rotate the brats until you have achieved that beautiful brown color on all sides.

How Long to Boil Johnsonville Brats?

Assuming that your Johnsonville brats are already at room temperature, you can let them simmer for 10 minutes before grilling (if you want to throw them on the BBQ). Note that boiling this kind of brat at a steady high temperature can make it lose flavor.

How Long to Boil Turkey Brats?

As the name suggests, these are brats made of turkey. The boiling time for turkey brats is the same – 5 to 10 minutes.

How Long to Boil Brats In Beer?

One of the most popular ways to boil brats is not with plain water but with beer. Beer can help bring out the flavor of the sausages without making them too overpowering. Any beer works, but many people lean toward pale lagers.

The boiling process is the same, except that you’ll be using beer instead of water or broth. Simmer the brats in the beer batch on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the sausages become white, you can transfer them to the grill.

Here is a summary of how long it takes to boil uncooked brats:

Type of Bratwurst	Boiling Time Needed
Room-temperature/thawed brats	10 to 12 minutes
Frozen, straight out of the freezer brats	Up to 20 minutes
Johnsonville brats	Up to 10 minutes
Turkey brats	Up to 10 minutes
Brats to be grilled	Up to 10 minutes
Brats in beer	Up to 20 minutes

Tips for Boiling Brats Like a Pro

Now that you know how long it takes to boil brats and how long to cook brats after boiling, you can level up the way you boil, simmer and grill your brats for an even more savory experience.

Here are some tips on how to make your brats taste better:

•  Add stock, broth and other liquid condiments to your boiling water to give your brats added flavor.
• Never drown or add too much liquid when boiling your brats. There should be enough liquid to cover the sausages but not too much—too much liquid can cause the brats to become waterlogged.
• Never overcook your sausages, as the goal is tender and juicy brats—not ones that are tough to chew and feel dry in the mouth.
• Always keep a thermometer handy when cooking brats to ensure the meat is cooked in and out evenly.
• If there’s no thermometer available, cut into one of the brats and check the color. The middle or core of the brats should be pale pink throughout – if there are bits of reddish pink, you need to cook them for a few more minutes.
• You don’t have to wash your brats after boiling. Washing can strip the flavors of the sausage.
• To avoid drying them out, after boiling your brats, let them rest for a good five minutes before grilling them.
• Aside from boiling your brats, you can also bake, grill, use your stovetop and smoke them.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how long it takes to boil a bratwurst, you can be confident about your sausage’s overall taste and texture. There’s so much you can do with brats, as they can easily be mixed and matched with other ingredients and still give you that satisfying taste.