Campfire Beer-Simmered Brats in Cast Iron
Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on a grate over medium coals. Simmer raw brats in a can of beer for 12 to 15 minutes, then pour off the beer and sear them in a little oil until browned and 160°F inside. Toast the buns in the same pan. It takes about 30 minutes and uses just three ingredients.
Brats cooked straight on a grate often split, flare up and end up burnt outside and raw inside. A beer bath fixes that. The links cook through gently first, then the sear is quick and only has to add color.
Three ingredients, one skillet and no real prep. It's a good lunch after a morning hike, and it feeds a hungry crew with almost no cleanup.
Campfire Beer-Simmered Brats in Cast Iron
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 3 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- Campfire grate
- Long tongs
- Instant-read thermometer
- Heatproof pot for the used beer
- Clean plate for cooked brats
Steps
-
Set up the coals
Let your fire burn down to medium coals and set a grate over them. You should be able to hold your hand 5 inches above the grate for about 5 seconds.
-
Simmer in beer
Set the skillet on the grate and lay in the raw brats. Pour in the beer and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning once halfway.
-
Check the temperature
Push an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a brat. It should read 160°F. If not, simmer a few more minutes.
-
Pour off the beer
Move the brats to a clean plate, not the one that held them raw. Carefully pour the hot beer into a heatproof pot to cool. Wash your hands and the tongs after touching the raw links.
-
Sear until browned
Add the oil to the skillet and set the brats back on the grate. Sear 4 to 5 minutes, turning often, until deep golden brown on all sides.
-
Toast the buns
Move the brats aside and set the buns cut side down in the skillet. Toast about 1 minute, until lightly golden.
-
Serve hot
Tuck a brat in each bun and eat right away. Brats cook best fresh, and they are juiciest straight from the pan.
Trail Notes
Freeze the brats flat before the trip and pack them at the bottom of the cooler. They double as ice and thaw slowly. Keep the cooler at 40°F or colder and cook thawed brats within 2 days.
Skip the alcohol by simmering in water instead of beer. The flavor is milder, but the method works the same.
Raw sausage can spread bacteria. Keep it off the buns and use a different plate for cooked brats. Always cook to 160°F, even if they look brown.
Let the used beer cool, strain out any bits and scatter it widely at least 200 feet from water and camp. Pack out the packaging and let the coals burn out fully before you leave.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCast-Iron Banana Oat Pancakes with Warm Peanut Butter Maple Drizzle
DinnerCamp Griddle Smash Tacos with Lime Slaw and Quick Pickled Onions
Snack or treatCampfire Foil Packet Baked Brie with Honey and Grilled BaguetteMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Do you have to simmer brats in beer before grilling?
No, but it helps. Simmering cooks them through gently so they don't split or burn over a campfire. Plain water works if you'd rather skip the beer.
How do you know when campfire brats are done?
Use an instant-read thermometer. Fresh pork brats are done at 160°F in the thickest part. Color alone isn't reliable over a fire.
How long do brats take to cook over a campfire?
About 12 to 15 minutes simmering in beer, then 4 to 5 minutes searing. That's roughly 20 minutes over medium coals.
Cooked it? Rate & review it.
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