Bratfest(s): A Breakdown
Post by Jen Ahlstrom on 6/8/2012 4:19pm
Growing up in Wisconsin bratwursts were serious business. Each local grocery made its own in-house brats and, depending on your preference, you would readily drive across town (or to another town) to get the perfect sausage to grill.
My neighbors moved to Wisconsin and into the house next door after retiring based on the in-house brats produced by the local grocery two blocks away. My father earned more respect at work for being the company picnic grill master than he did as an engineer. Brats were not something to be messed around with.
Growing up, brats were my introduction into a foodie-fetish level of love of food which is why, as a veteran of the World’s Largest Bratfest and last year’s gourmet Alt Bratfest, I set out to try to hit the other two competing bratfests in town Memorial Day weekend.
A brief history lesson on the competing fests
The original Madison Bratfest, now the World’s Largest Bratfest, was born of humble beginnings at Metcalfe’s grocery store parking lot in 1983. As the bratfest grew the need for help grew, and proceeds were donated to charities who provided volunteers. Eventually outgrowing the parking lot the sausage orgy moved to Willow Island and now includes live music, exhibits and a full carnival.
Last year everything changed. As divisive politics embroiled the state in protests, marches, boycotts and “buycotts” it was revealed that the major sponsor for the World’s Largest Bratfest, Johnsonville, had executives who donated to Gov. Scott Walker. Groups called for a boycott of the event.
That year three alternative brat fests were born so that those who opposed Walker and Johnsonville could still enjoy a brat and support local charities. The People’s Bratfest and the Wurst of Times continued this weekend, while the Alt Bratfest was canceled due to a scheduling conflict but looks likely to return next year (and organizers hinted at a fest later this summer).
Now for the brats
First up, the People’s Bratfest, at Library Mall, whose “Brats for the people, not for profit!” festival was a meandering encampment of tents for everything from the IWW (the ‘anarchists’ union) to brats, kids activities and music, and had a very left-leaning political slant. Politics seemed to be the reason for this fest; bratwurst an afterthought.
The sausages available, procured from the farmer’s market and local co-ops, were traditional, cajun-seasoned, and vegan. When I arrived around 1 p.m. the lines were short, three of the four grills were still operating, and they were down to cajun and vegan brats. Though I prefer a little bit more char on my bratwurst, the brats at the People’s Bratfest were fresh and juicy. Sides included cheese curds, cotton candy and baklava. Kids activities included an inflatable bounce house and paint your own pottery. Music, like everything else, slanted left with appearances by the Raging Grannies and the Solidarity Singers. This fest was by far the most affordable and family-friendly.
If the People’s Bratfest was all about the politics, the Wurst of Times--while still political--was all about the music. If brats were a second thought at the People’s Bratfest they were an afterthought at the Wurst of Times. When I arrived at 1 p.m. the grills were off and all the brats were wrapped and stacked underneath heat lamps. Not surprisingly, the brats were dry. Dreadfully so. After checking out a sampling of bands, which ranged from ironic-heavy-metal to traditional string quartets, I felt I got my full Wurst experience.
On Memorial day, the last day of my brat weekend upon me, I found myself disappointed in the quality of fest brats so I put aside plans to visit the World’s Largest Bratfest this year and accepted an invitation to a pot luck cookout where a majority of the guests were in the food industry. My friend and grill-master Brian claimed he had just discovered the way to make the world’s best brats--by soaking them in beer, kraut and onions overnight prior to grilling. His discovery made me smile - it was just the way my father had always grilled them. I still don’t know about the World’s best, but his did win the title of the weekend’s best.
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Bratfest(s): A Breakdown
Submitted by Cyndi S. Rivas (not verified) on Wed, 2013-01-16 05:42.
Brat Fest is a great place for the whole family with many food, fun and music. I hope everyone will enjoy the event. Goodluck guys!
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Submitted by Patrick S. Clayton (not verified) on Wed, 2013-01-23 05:48.
I am interested in checking out the Brat Fest this weekend. I just wondered if anyone had any information about the Fest that they could share? Thanks for any insight you might be able to give!
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Bratfest
Submitted by Jessica F. Obrien (not verified) on Thu, 2013-02-21 08:39.
It is a local festival celebrating Bavarian heritage started by German immigrants in 1946. If you go, enjoy the beer and bratwursts, just do not use the community showers.
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Submitted by Jennifer J. Stahl (not verified) on Thu, 2013-03-21 22:00.
If you want to smother your brats with barbeque sauce, mustard, and sauerkraut to kill the taste, this recipe is ok. I like the natural flavor of fresh brats. It's actually the poking of the brats with a fork that wrecks this recipe. It dries out the brats and lets the natural flavors seep out.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Manuel B. Roberts (not verified) on Wed, 2013-03-27 21:06.
I love Bratwurst, but always burn mine making sure they are completely cooked on the gril. This way all you are doing is browning them as they are pre-cooked. The extra flavor is great too.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Ernest U. Scruggs (not verified) on Fri, 2013-03-29 23:22.
Oh yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Piercing the brats allowed the flavors of the beer and onion in. Unfortunately it was late at night when I made this, so I brown the brats in a cast iron skillet instead of on the grill. The onions from the beer bath were just awesome!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Calvin R. Ojeda (not verified) on Wed, 2013-04-03 10:44.
The best way to cook these prior to grilling is in the crock pot. Just cook on high for a couple of hours prior to grilling. This recipe is great!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by William I. McEvoy (not verified) on Fri, 2013-04-05 10:13.
Bratwurst has a very nice blend of spices and has also truly genuine bratwurst flavor. This is really a delicious bratwurst!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Israel C. Flynn (not verified) on Sat, 2013-04-06 07:36.
You may want to try this recipe without poking holes in the brats to keep the flavor sealed in. If you want to smother your brats with barbeque sauce, mustard, and sauerkraut to kill the taste, this recipe is o.k.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Mark J. Harrell (not verified) on Thu, 2013-04-11 06:45.
Brats are served on a bun, dressed with condiments, and accompanied by classic side dishes. Authentic bratwurst is a fresh sausage which must be cooked thoroughly before eating.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Ralph M. Hackworth (not verified) on Sat, 2013-04-13 02:40.
This was fantastic! The bratwurst were good, but I really do not think simmering them in beer, butter and onion added any flavor or changed them in any way.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Lindsay G. Villanueva (not verified) on Fri, 2013-04-19 01:36.
Bratwurst is a compound German word. Brat means fry, Wurst means sausage. One important point, don't ever boil bratwurst. Because Boiling will cause the casings to burst.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Albert E. Silva (not verified) on Sat, 2013-04-20 08:40.
The brats look amazing and is definitely something that we will have to experiment with. Great post!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Dorothy E. Peterson (not verified) on Mon, 2013-04-22 08:24.
The brats took on the taste from the beer and then to grill them and add them back into the sauerkraut/beer mixture. This was a simple meal to serve on these incredibly on hot days!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Joshua S. Byers (not verified) on Wed, 2013-04-24 01:42.
Really nice sandwiches. I've never liked sauerkraut, but I thought I'd give it a try on top of these brats. We all really enjoyed it. A perfect use for a couple of bottles of beer that were past their prime. Thanks for sharing!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Daniel L. Miles (not verified) on Fri, 2013-04-26 21:02.
While these brats were good, I feel that I can only rate the recipe as 3 stars because I did not prick the bratwurst until they were on the grill. You will lose flavoring in the brats if you prick them in the boiling process.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Brittney R. Reynolds (not verified) on Mon, 2013-04-29 04:23.
The brats need to be placed back IN the beer/onion mixture for several minutes to be true Wisconsin brats. And there is no reason to add 2 sticks of butter to the recipe.
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Submitted by Lauralee A. Douglas (not verified) on Tue, 2013-04-30 08:02.
The brats need to be placed back in the beer/onion mixture for several minutes to be true Wisconsin brats. And there is no reason to add 2 sticks of butter to the recipe.
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Submitted by May E. Lewis (not verified) on Wed, 2013-05-01 07:35.
These were really good and easy. I did not prick the brats before cooking. I used half the beer and used chicken broth for the rest of the liquid b/c I didn't want them to taste to much like beer.
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Submitted by Earl L. Graves (not verified) on Thu, 2013-05-02 08:28.
Yummy! Everyone loved them! I followed the advice not to pierce the brats before cooking.
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Paula B. Poole (not verified) on Fri, 2013-05-03 05:20.
Very simple, and very good. The brats were very juicy. I grilled them on an indoor grill, I can imagine they would be even better outside.
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Bratfest(s): A Breakdown
Submitted by Stephanie J. Hale (not verified) on Tue, 2013-05-07 06:45.
I loved bratwurst. It was very simple and very good. The brats were very juicy.
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Bratfest(s): A Breakdown
Submitted by Judith A. Vanarsdale (not verified) on Thu, 2013-05-09 08:16.
This was great! I have never eaten bratwurst before, so I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the helpful post!
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Wisconsin bratwursts
Submitted by Harvey K. Price (not verified) on Fri, 2013-05-10 23:57.
Awesome brats! I think it is easy and very tasty to do. The extra flavor is great too.
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