Step Up Your Game Day Menu With Johnsonville Sausage!

Johnsonville BratsThe Super Bowl Big Game is coming up a week from today and if you’re sick of traditional game day foods like chicken wings and chips and dip this is the blog post for you!

Most people — especially in Wisconsin where I live — only equate bratwurst and other sausages with grilling and grilling with summer, meaning that for five months out of the year when the temperatures drop below freezing they tend to shy away from them. Why, this is I have no idea, but if you’re guilty of this as well here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

To kick things off I’ve got two super simple recipes of my own, along with one from Johnsonville.com where you can currently find 50 great sausage recipes in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Big Game.

Brats in BlanketsEveryone has probably had pigs in a blanket at some point in their lives right? For me they were a staple of my childhood cuisine.

I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a week that went by growing up where my family didn’t eat macaroni and cheese and pigs in a blanket for dinner at least once.

Now don’t get me wrong I still love them just as much as I did 20 years ago, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve upon them, and improve upon them I did! How you ask? By swapping out the hot dogs with nice juicy brats! And what goes great with brats? Soft pretzels, which is what I wrap around them in lieu of crescent roll dough.

If you’re a sauerkraut fan like I am you’ll probably want to add some of that as well! Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full recipe!

Brat-lavaThis second recipe can be found over at Johnsonville.com and is a take on the classic Mediterranean dessert known as baklava with a couple additions that really take it to the next level.

Along with layers of phyllo dough and walnuts the recipe adds Johnsonville bratwurst and even improves upon the traditional honey glaze by adding a couple tablespoons of mustard.

I know that the thought of brats, honey and walnuts combined together sounds a little crazy at first but trust me, it works! I literally ate an entire pan of it over the course of two days when I made it. If you’re a fan of sweet and salty combinations like I am then this Brat-lava is the perfect dessert for you!

Deep Fried Pretzel Breaded Brat BitesThe third recipe also combines bratwurst and pretzels, but this time I used regular pretzels as the breading for some Deep Fried Pretzel Breaded Brat Bites!

Like the first two recipes this one is super easy to make and super delicious. Again, you can scroll down for the full recipe, but basically all you need to do is cook up some brats, cut each one into four pieces, coat them in flour, dip them in egg , roll them around in crushed up pretzels and drop them in the deep fryer!

I’m also a big proponent of dipping these in stone ground mustard, but honestly, if you use decent brats like the kind Johnsonville makes they’re pretty great just on their own.

So, the next time you’re planning a get-together – Big Game related or not – make sure you check out Johnsonville.com for some great recipes that are sure to impress your guests!

Brats in Blankets:

Ingredients:
10 frozen dinner rolls
5 Johnsonville brats
2 cups sauerkraut
1/2 cup baking soda
pretzel salt

Directions:
Thaw dinner rolls between sprayed wax paper for 2 hours or until dough is at room temperature.

Cook brats according to the directions on the package.

Slice brats in half, top each one with sauerkraut and wrap a piece of dough around each one.

In a saucepan bring 6 inches of water to a boil and add baking soda.

Submerge each dough wrapped brat in boiling water for 60 seconds. I have no idea about the science behind this since I got a D in chemistry class in high school, but this is what will give the dough that distinct soft pretzel coloring and taste.

Place brats on a sprayed baking sheet, top with pretzel salt and bake in the oven at 375° for 15 – 20 minutes or until they’re golden brown.

Deep Fried Pretzel Breaded Brat Bites:

Ingredients:
4 Johnsonville brats
1 12 ounce bag of pretzels, crushed
1 cup flour
3 eggs

Directions:
Cook brats according to the directions on the package.

Slice each brat into four pieces.

Coat each piece in flour, dip in egg and roll in crushed up pretzels.

Drop them in 375° for a minute or until the pretzel coating is golden brown.

1 Comment on Step Up Your Game Day Menu With Johnsonville Sausage!

  1. Anonymous
    March 26, 2016 at 11:34 pm (8 years ago)

    I think these brats in blankets could be made with other sausages
    Johnsonville chorizo: Replace brats with chorizos and sauerkraut with mexican or pepper jack cheese
    This can also be done with cheddar brats too

    Reply

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