Perfect Brats in the Oven
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Once you learn how to cook brats in the oven, you will have a way to make and enjoy them for a quick 30-minute meal at any time of the year. This bratwurst recipe is great for busy weeknights, game day tailgate parties, or even for a traditional Oktoberfest dinner.
Brats (the nickname for German bratwurst sausages) are made from pork and veal, and seasoned with warm spices. Grilling is a popular way to prepare them in warm weather months, but by cooking brats in the oven, you can enjoy them year-round!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
The links come out of the oven perfectly juicy and plump on the inside, and crispy and golden brown on the outside. It’s honestly my favorite way to cook bratwurst to perfection.
It will only take you 30 minutes and 3 ingredients to make this delicious meal. This is a go-to meal on busy nights, when there isn’t time to do much prep work.
You can make as many as many sausages as you need when you use the oven method. If you’re feeding a hungry crowd, you can double or triple this recipe. There will be plenty of space in the oven for a baked side dish like fries or roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.
Beer brats are really popular because the beer bath imparts so much flavor. For a kid-friendly meal, it’s an easy swap – just use chicken broth or beef broth instead.
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my best mom-tested cooking tips for cooking brats in the oven! I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Don’t fully submerge the meat and onions in cooking liquid. For braised bratwurst, the links should only partially sit in the beer or broth. Boiling is not recommended – it just makes the sausages rubbery.
- The cook time may vary a bit depending on the size of the sausage links. Just keep an eye on them and always remember to cook them to a safe internal temperature of 160°F (63°C). Be sure to use a meat thermometer to accurately check the temp.
- Don’t skimp on the onions. Even if you’re not a fan of eating onions with your brats, they add loads of flavor to the cooking liquid while they’re in the oven.
- Toast the buns. Trust me, it really does make a difference. Toasting the bread prevents it from falling apart under the weight of a hearty bratwurst. Oh, and don’t use hot dog buns; hoagie buns are much larger and sturdier
The Ingredients
Here are the 3 basic ingredients you’ll need to make brats in the oven:
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you get to the store to buy the bratwurst, be sure to get uncooked (raw) link sausages. You do not want to use precooked brats because they will become very dry and overcooked in the oven.
As I mentioned earlier, you don’t have to make beer brats if you don’t want to. You can simply substitute the ale with a non-alcoholic beer, or chicken or beef broth.
How to Cook Brats in the Oven
It only takes a few simple steps to make this bratwurst recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
- Arrange the bratwurst in a single layer inside a large cast iron skillet, griddle pan, or other oven-safe baking dish.
- Cover with sliced onions,
- Pour the cooking liquid into the pan. Ideally 12 ounces of beer or broth will partially cover the brats. This is what you want for braising. If you fully submerge them, they’ll boil and become rubbery.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and cook the brats in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and use tongs to push the cooked onions to the sides of each sausage.
- Turn on the oven broiler, return the pan back to the oven, and gently broil the brats for a couple of minutes on each side, just until they’re crispy and brown.
- When the brats reach an internal temp of 160°F., take them out of the oven and let them rest for about 5 minutes while you toast your rolls and prep whatever toppings you like.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
In the fridge: Allow the cooked bratwurst to cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container or plastic zip top bag. Reheat and enjoy them again within 4 days.
In the freezer: You can also freeze the cooked sausage links. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, being sure to squeeze out all of the excess air. Then freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: For best results, reheat in a pan of simmering (not boiling) water, broth, or beer on the stove top over medium heat.
Alternatively, you can reheat them in a covered oven-safe dish in a 350°F (177°C) oven. To prevent the cooked brats from drying out, add a few tablespoons of water, beer, or chicken broth to the pan.
Bratwurst Recipe FAQ
German link sausages are traditionally pan-fried. These days, grilling and baking them in the oven are popular cooking methods.
The sausages are most often eaten on toasted bread, like a hoagie roll, with grainy mustard. Delicious toppings include sauerkraut, onions or slaw.
If you make this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Perfect Brats in the Oven
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bratwurst links about 6-8 sausages
- 12 ounces chicken broth beef broth, beer, or non-alcoholic beer
- 2 medium yellow onions peeled and cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 6 hot dog buns or gluten-free buns (optional)
- toppings such as mustard, sauerkraut and onions (optional)
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (204℃). Peel and cut the onions into ½-inch wide slices.
- Add the bratwurst to a large cast iron skillet or any other oven-safe baking dish. Cover with the sliced onions and pour the beer/broth over the top. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or tin foil.
- Set the pan in the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Carefully peel back the foil and use a meat thermometer to test that the internal temperature of the brats has reached at least 160°F (71°F), per USDA guidelines.
- Turn the oven broiler on. Use a spatula or tongs to push the softened onions off the top of the brats. Set the pan under the hot broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the brats are beginning to brown.
- Use tongs to turn the brats over and set back under the broiler for another 2-3 minutes to brown on the other side.
- Carefully remove hot pan from the oven and serve bratwurst warm on toasted buns with desired toppings and condiments.
Notes
- Don’t fully submerge the meat and onions in cooking liquid. For braised bratwurst, the links should only partially sit in the beer or broth. Boiling is not recommended — it just makes the sausages rubbery.
- The cook time may vary a bit depending on the size of the sausage links. Just keep an eye on them and always remember to cook them to a safe internal temperature of 160°F (63°C). Be sure to use a meat thermometer to accurately check the temp.
- Don’t skimp on the onions. Even if you’re not a fan of eating onions with your brats, they add loads of flavor to the cooking liquid while they’re in the oven.
- Toast the buns. Trust me, it really does make a difference. Toasting the bread prevents it from falling apart under the weight of the hearty bratwurst. Oh, and avoid using hot dog buns. Hoagie buns are larger and sturdier.
- Tasty toppings for brats include yellow, Dijon, or grainy brown mustard, sauerkraut, and/or raw or sautéed onions. Of course, you can use any toppings and condiments that your family enjoys.
Nutrition
What to Serve with Beer Brats
Brats are delicious toppings like sauerkraut and Dijon or grainy German mustard. To lower the carbs, skip the buns. Simply serve the links with a side salad, cauliflower rice, or mashed Instant Pot cauliflower.
For an easy side dish, make roasted parsnip fries, air fryer baby potatoes, or potato wedges. For a classic side dish make potato salad.
Other Simple Oven Cooked Meals
- Mexican Chicken Casserole: This kid-friendly version of salsa chicken tastes fantastic
- Baked Salmon in Foil: This is, hands down, the best cooking method for moist, flaky fish
- Zucchini Roll Ups: Kids love these Italian sausage lasagna rolls
