which has about 20 varieties of fresh brats for you to choose from daily.
Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with your standard Johnsonville's...
just make sure you buy the UNCOOKED brats,
because half of what makes a Wisconsin brat "Wisconsin" is the cooking technique.
1.
Bring at least 2 of your favorite beers, sliced onions, and water to a boil.
(Note: Darker beer is better for this technique, but to each his own.)
Add your brats, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-ish minutes.
Par-boiling adds delicious beer-onion flavor to your pork sausages.
Note: This can be done ahead of a time. Even the day before!
So there's no excuse not to have the best brats at your morning tailgate.
Ya hear?
2.
Fire up the grill!
Brats will still need to cook approximately 5-7 minutes per side over medium heat.
Add an opened can of sauerkraut (don't forget to remove the label!)
over indirect heat to warm.
Frank's is the best!
And you cannot have a Wisconsin brat without the kraut!
(Your brat farts will not be the same!)
3.
Meanwhile, caramelize some onions.
(You could also do this ahead of time, wrap in some foil,
and bring to your tailgate to re-heat on the grill.)
I like Vidalia, Spanish, or yellow onions
because they're sweeter than red or white onions.
Slice them about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
Heat a pan with olive oil AND butter.
Add the onions and get them sweating.
Add salt and pepper to taste,
along with garlic powder,
a pinch of cayenne pepper and some sugar.
Saute over low heat for as long as possible.
Usually 30 minutes will get you to a delicious golden brown color.
Just like candy.
4.
Prepare your sides.
I suggest things like:
Maple-brown sugar-bourbon baked beans.
(You can re-heat in a tin can over the grill if you're tailgating). Warm up your brat buns while you're at it.
(Read: I said BRAT buns, not hotdog buns. BIG difference.)
Potato salad.
Homemade pickles.
(All will keep chilled in a cooler.)
Add the brat to your warmed or toasted brat bun.
Top with spicy brown mustard and a little ketchup, if you must.
Add the kraut and onions,
and I promise you won't be disappointed.
A little bit of spicy, vinegary, sweet, meaty goodness in every bite.
FANTASTIC.
And don't forget an ice cold beer to wash it all down!
Today I bring you the first installment of classic Wisconsin football recipes!
The Wisco Bloody Mary.
Or, the most Bomb-Ass BM, if you will.
As one of my favorite "day" drinks,
I can say that I have sampled this drink everywhere,
and none can even remotely compare to those in good ol' WI.
(Same could be said for the classic "Old Fashioned," but that's another post.)
My fav Bloody ever is from my hometown of La Crosse, WI - Del's Bar on 3rd St.
I have lived in IL for the last 6 years and their Bloody's are atrocious.
Thick, bland tomato juice with a green olive and lemon wedge garnish.
What the what?!
That'd be unheard of in the Motherland.
I don't even want to look at that.
This is how we do:
(Soundtrack appropriate. Just trust me.)
1.
I believe in the "make-your-own" Bloody Bar,
so everyone can make their own Bloody, to taste.
Easy peasy...just have everything laid out nicely.
A sure tailgate hit!
2.
Start with a good Bloody base.
This can be a high quality tomato juice or simply find a Bloody Mix that suits you.
They make them in a variety of spice levels,
and that little kick of horseradish really adds something!
Get sampling.
And people, when selecting your vodka, please,
this not this is not the time for the Goose.
I recommend Absolut Peppar for a special occasion, but
Smirnoff or Svedka are reasonably priced and delicious in this application.
However, stay away from the Fleisch!
Fellow Wisconsinites will probably disagree,
but I promise you nothinggood can come from consuming this cheap vodka...
Unless you consider public vomiting or displays of indecent exposure a good time,
or subscribe to this philosophy:
For a mocktail version, "The Virgin Mary", skip the vod
and add an extra squeeze of lemon juice.
(Hey, sometimes you just gotta do it for baby.)
3.
You will need the following mix-in's to your base:
Worcestershire sauce, or as we like to say,
"Werrrr-shhh-shhh-shhhire sauce."
(I'm partial to Lea and Perrins. "Unwrap the possibilities" is right.
I add this to a variety of sauces for that meaty, salty kick.)
Your favorite hot sauce.
Lemon wedges for fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
Extra olive juice for those who like to ride dirty.
Celery salt.
(You can even rim your glasses in this delicious treat.)
4.
Mix the above well.
With a fair amount of ice.
(Nobody wants a hot BM.)
And if you're with a group of people who are lazy and/or don't give a shit
(probably men),
just go ahead and do steps 1-4 to your liking & have it ready to go in a pitcher.
5.
Accoutrements.
Part of what sets a Wisconsin Bloody over the edge!
The end product should look like a mini-meal in a glass.
Here's what I always include and/or have available on my BM bar:
A spicy meat product. Or two.
Summer sausage, salami, pepperoni, beef stick, beef jerky - you name it!
Hit the Farmer's Market, you will not be disappointed in any locally made meat.
Or if all else fails, a big, thick, juicy slice of bacon will do.
Cheese.
Duh.
Usually a cube of Wisconsin sharp cheddar and pepper jack.
Or, make like the Wicked Hop & throw some mozzarella cheese whips on there.
The mo' cheese, the betta'.
Pickle spear.
Bonus dill, vinegary juices.
Pickled veggies skewer.
Usually homemade by someone,
e.g. mushrooms, pearl onions, brussel sprouts, beets, asparagus, green beans, etc.
Thanks, Mom!
And don't forget the olive!
Make sure it is stuffed with something delicious,
say with bleu cheese or garlic or jalapeno.
Yeeeeeeah buddy!
A pepperoncini pepper.
'Cuz when you bite in, and that pepper blows it's load,
that juice just adds even more spicy liquid deliciousness to your beverage.
A celery stalk.
For good health and a sturdy stir stick.
Plus, leaving the leaves on top makes your drink purdy.
And if you wanna get real fancy, a big juicy shrimp.
The tomato base kind of tastes like cocktail sauce, after all.
The possibilities are endless, really.
Get creative!
6.
Serve with a damn beer chaser, would you please?!
Standard with a Wisconsin BM.
Drinker's choice.
Here's a list of the best bloody's in Mil-town.
Can't wait to check out all of these after the big move!
O.M.Geezies. Enjoy!
I guarantee you will never look at Bloody's in the same way ever again.
~Photo by b, image via i can read & milwaukee journal sentinel~
