Slow Cooker Bratwurst And Sauerkraut
Slow cooker bratwurst and sauerkraut is an easy way to make a hearty, flavorful meal. Seared brats slow cook in a beer on a bed of thinly sliced onions and apples.
One of my favorite ways to add some variety to our table is with bratwurst.
They are so easy to cook with, lending themselves to slow cooker and Instant Pot cooking.
Plus they have tons of flavor and my kids love them, which makes them automatic winners.
And this slow cooker bratwurst and sauerkraut is a favorite!
Seared brats, a blend of apples and onions all slow cooked to perfection.
An easy dinner we all love and I know you will too!
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Oil– Canola oil though you could use another light color oil like olive oil
- Bratwursts– Fresh bratwurst sausage
- Onion– Large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- Garlic cloves– Fresh garlic minced
- Sauerkraut– Drain it and rinse it well
- Apple– A sturdy, crisp, sweet apple like Honeycrisp, peeled and diced.
- Beer– Any lager style beer you like
- Brown sugar
- Mustard– Whole grain mustard
- Caraway seeds– You could substitute fennel seeds if needed
How to Make
Making slow cooker bratwurst with sauerkraut is easy.
Just heat the canola oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.
When the oil’s hot add the brats and sear on both sides for roughly 2-3 minutes per side.
Transfer them to a waiting plate.
Then saute the onion to the skillet, stirring often, and cooking until it’s translucent and slightly brown.
At this point stir in the garlic and cook for 60 seconds or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the drained and rinsed sauerkraut, cooked onions, apple, beer, sugar, mustard, and caraway seeds to the bowl of your slow cooker.
Put the seared brats on top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or 3-4 hours on HIGH.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat them in the microwave until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- While these can be cooked on HIGH for a quicker cooking time, cooking on LOW is recommended because it will yield the best flavor
- We like to serve these on plates alongside mashed potatoes, but they’re also great in a hoagie bun!
- Don’t skip the apple! It adds a nice mild background sweetness.
Other Bratwurst Recipes
Slow cooker bratwurst with sauerkraut is one of our favorite easy brat recipes.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other bratwurst recipes?
Try these:
- Instant Pot Beer Brats
- Brat And Beef Cheese Soup
- Smoked Beer Brats
- Bratwurst With Caramelized Sauerkraut
If you’ve tried these SLOW COOKER BRATWURSTS AND SAUERKRAUT, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Slow Cooker Brats With Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 5 fresh bratwurst sausages
- 1 large sweet onion peeled & very thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 16 oz sauerkrait well drained & rinsed
- 1 honeycrisp apple peeled & diced
- 1 12 oz lager style beer
- 2 packed tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil's hot add the sausages and sear on both sides, roughly 2-3 minutes per side, then transfer them to a waiting plate.1 tbsp canola oil, 5 fresh bratwurst sausages
- Add the onion to the skillet, stirring often, and cooking until it's translucent and has begun to brown some. Add the garlic and stir to combine, then cook for 60 seconds, and remove the skillet from heat.1 large sweet onion, 3 garlic cloves
- To the bowl of your slow cooker add the prepared sauerkraut, cooked onions, apple, beer, sugar, mustard, and caraway seeds. Place the seared brats on top.16 oz sauerkrait, 1 honeycrisp apple, 1 12 oz lager style beer, 2 packed tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp whole grain mustard, 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or 3-4 hours on HIGH.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- While these can be cooked on HIGH for a quicker cooking time, cooking on LOW is recommended because it will yield the best flavor
- We like to serve these on plates alongside mashed potatoes, but they're also great in a hoagie bun!
- Don't skip the apple! It adds a nice mild background sweetness.
Nutrition
