How to Reheat Brats (5 Methods)

Bratwursts are a popular sausage that can be eaten on their own or added to various dishes for added flavor.

However, if you have leftover bratwursts or need to reheat them, it’s essential to do so correctly to avoid any bacteria growth and ensure the taste and texture remain intact.

In this post, we will go over five different methods of reheating brats so that you can choose the one that works best for you.

Importance of Reheating Brats Correctly

Reheating bratwursts incorrectly can lead to foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria growth.

Staphylococcus aureus is one such bacterium commonly found on meat products; when left at an unsafe temperature zone, it can multiply rapidly and cause severe inflammation in your body.

Therefore, it is essential only to use approved methods when reheating sausages or other meat products.

Method 1: Grilling

Grilling is one of the most popular cooking methods during summer barbeques due to its smoky flavor and crispy texture. It is also an excellent way to reheat cooked sausage, including bratwurst.

Steps:

• Preheat your grill over medium heat.
• Brush some oil onto the bratwursts; this helps to prevent them from sticking.
• Place your sausage on the grill grates and cook for about four minutes per side until heated evenly.
• Check with an instant-read thermometer; they should reach a temperature of 165°F before removing from the grill.

Precautions and Tips for Grilling Bratwursts:

• Use tongs rather than a fork when turning your sausages because piercing them may cause juices to escape.
• Don’t let any flare-ups char the bratwurst or leave it dry.
• If you’re using a gas grill, close the lid to retain the heat better.

Method 2: Stovetop

If you lack outdoor space for grilling, a stovetop may be an alternative option. Nevertheless, some might prefer stove-tops since they require less effort while heating.

Steps:

1. In a non-stick skillet or pan, heat enough water to cover your sausages.
2. Bring the water to a boil and add your brats gently on top of the simmering water.
3. Turn down the heat and allow them to simmer for about ten minutes until heated through.
4. Finally, remove them from the pan thoroughly with tongs once more.

Precautions and Tips for Heating Brats on The Stovetop

• Don’t overcrowd your pan as this can slow down heating times and cause uneven cooking.
• Never let the water come to a rolling boil as this can cause sausages skin burst or leak out.

Method 3: Microwave

Although microwaves are less preferred than other methods of reheating food due to their inconsistency in temperatures generated in different parts of foods like large handles etc., it is still possible if done following specific guidelines. Here’s how:

How Microwaving Works:

Microwaves generate energy that causes molecules in food items like bratwursts to vibrate rapidly; this reduces their temperature uniformly.

Nevertheless, reheating bratwursts needs careful attention due as microwaves don’t necessarily reach every part of food evenly.

Steps To Take While Using Microwave

1. Cut each sausage lengthwise into two halves before placing them on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Add one tablespoon of water or beer into each sausage then wrap at least twice with plastic wrap to seal or use a microwave cover.
3. Microwave for 20-30 seconds on high power. Turn them over and microwave again for another 10 to 20 seconds.

Precautions and Tips When Using Microwave:

• Avoid consuming sausages’ slices that hit a temperature lower than 165°F.
• Check the sausage’s temperature using an instant thermometer before serving.

Method 4: Oven

Ovens provide an excellent means for reheating bratwursts since it can maintain uniformly high temperatures. It is one of the best methods, especially when reheating a large batch of cooked sausages.

How Oven Works:

This method uses radiant heat generated by heating elements in the oven that spread throughout the oven cavity, allowing even heating throughout.

Steps for Reheating Brats in The Oven

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
2. Place your sausages into an oven-safe container or pot.
3. Add some stock or water only if you like, then cover tightly with foil lid or pot lid.
4. Bake your bratwursts for ten minutes.
5. After ten minutes remove from the heat allow them five minutes to rest.

Precautions and tips when using an oven:

• Cut each sausage either lengthwise or crosswise to ensure even heating throughout.
• Use a food thermometer to check their internal temperature; they should reach at least 165°F before removing them from the oven.

Method 5: Sous Vide

Sous vide is gradually becoming more popular due to its ability is providing evenly cooked meals with precise control over temperature rate settings.

It involves cooking vacuum-sealed cuisine under controlled water-bath temperatures. This method requires plastic bags suitable for cooking food under high temperatures compared to ordinary plastic bags.

Sous Vide Cooking Method Quick Overview

The sous-vide cooking process usually requires preheated hot water to average temperatures (around 140°F) to ensure your bratwursts cook thoroughly throughout.

Reheating Brats in Sous Vide Style

1. Preheat your sous vide machine to 160°F.
2. Place the sausages within the vacuum-sealed plastic bag and seal completely.
3. Add carefully packaged food bags into a preheated water bath at the desired temperature for up to one hour.
4. Remove them from the bags with tongs.

Tips and precautions while using a Sous Vide machine

• Ensure that your vacuum-sealed plastic bags are safe for reheating meat or other edibles foods.
• Never overfill your water bath container, which can lead to uneven temperatures distribution.

Conclusion:

Reheating bratwursts requires careful attention and good preparation as insufficient heating may cause bacteria growth, which leads to foodborne diseases.

In this post, we have discussed five different methods of reheating brats ranging from grilling, stovetop heating, microwaving, oven heating,sous vide cooking with tips on how best to use each method.

It is crucial always to handle leftover meat safely by following proper storage procedures and reheating adequately for optimal taste and quality.