Bratwurst with Bacon & Onion Chutney

This 4th of July, take your Brats to the next level with this delicious topping of caramelized onions and crispy bacon!

The chutney actually tastes great as a topping for any of our sausages, but we highly recommend it on our new Bratwurst with Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar.  If you haven’t tried it yet, be sure to look for this new sausage in the butcher block at Fred Meyer stores.  This savory bratwurst is laced with generous shreds of Beecher’s Handmade Flagship Cheddar for pretty much the ultimate cheese/sausage experience, if we do say so ourselves.

We used Hempler’s Center Cut Bacon in this recipe – not only is Hempler’s our sister company, but their bacon is hands-down the best of the best.  Crafted in the Northwest from a time-honored family recipe, using all-natural pork raised with no antibiotics on a vegetarian diet, you won’t find a leaner or more flavorful bacon anywhere.

Thinly sliced onions are combined with crispy bacon pieces and cooked down to a sweet and savory chutney that pairs perfectly with grilled sausage on a bun….there’s no resisting all that flavor!

Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think:

Bratwurst with Bacon Onion Chutney
(Adapted from Michael Symon’s Beer Brats with Bacon Onion Chutney)

Ingredients:
8 Isernio’s Bratwurst with Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar (or 8 of your favorite Isernio’s Sausage link variety)
1 Tb. Olive Oil
1/2 pound Hempler’s Bacon
2 Yellow Onions, sliced thinly
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 sprigs Thyme (leaves only)
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tb. Brown Sugar
1 Tb. Mustard Seeds
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup Beer or Water
8 of your favorite buns
Your favorite mustard for serving, if desired

Method:

For the Chutney:
Slice the bacon into 1/2″ pieces, and fry in a skillet over medium heat, until crisp.  Remove bacon, leaving the fat in the skillet.  Add sliced onions and cook until transparent, about 10 minutes.

Add the bacon back into the skillet, folding into the onions.  Turn heat down to low and cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 15 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme leaves and cook 2 more minutes.  Then add the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seed and salt & pepper to taste.  Cook 3-4 minutes, and add the beer or water, and then cook an additional 4 minutes.

For the Sausages:
Bring a skillet of water large enough to immerse your sausages, to a boil.  Lower uncooked sausages into boiling water, place the lid on and immediately turn heat off.  Let sausages sit in the hot water for approximately 7 minutes.

Remove the sausages from the water, and place on an oiled grill pre-heated to medium heat.  Grill sausages, turning every 2-3 minutes, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Sausages should reach an internal temperature of 155°F for pork and 165°F for chicken.

Lightly toast buns if desired.  When sausages and chutney are ready, serve a sausage on a bun topped with a generous amount of chutney and your favorite mustard if desired.

Top these Brats with the Bacon Onion Chutney and your favorite mustard and enjoy!