Summer of BBQ: The West

By: Ashleigh Miller | June 10 2010
Posted in Cook It - In Season

Succulent grilled sausages swimming in a beer bath just scream "Party over here!" Casual, easy on the cook, and just a little bit messy, beerwurst is a surefire crowd pleaser. At its simplest, this recipe calls for some supermarket sausage, a bottle of Bud, and lots of sauteed onions. For your next cookout, try a gourmet twist on this perennial favorite by substituting wild game sausage, a delicious dark beer, and a spicy pepper and caramelized onion relish.

Finish them on the grill after a beer bath. Photo: Flickr

Game sausages are widely available in Colorado and combine traditional preparation methods and traditional seasonings with a taste of the Wild West. Bring some of that big Western flavor to your summer with these options:

Bison and elk are good options for cooks and eaters who don't like a "gamey" flavor. Both are rich and beefy without being too strong. Because these meats are so lean, many manufacturers add bacon fat to produce a juicy, tender sausage.

Antelope and deer sausages provide a distinct wild flavor that balances well with the nutmeg, mace, and coriander used in traditional recipes. Smother these sausages in spicy brown mustard for an out-of-this-world experience.

Adventurous and unorthodox eaters should try wild boar brats for flavors that range from nutty to bacon-y on the delicious spectrum, or rattlesnake sausage, which boasts a delicate, seafood-like flavor and a texture like poultry.

You can also find pork and beef brats with fun surprises inside: jalapeno and cheddar; apples and white wine; and tomatoes and mozzarella.

Making Masterpiece Sausages

Preparation is super easy. While your grill heats up, fill a disposable foil pan halfway with a deep dark beer and add a teaspoon each of caraway seeds and mustard seeds. Put the beer "bath" on the cool side of the grill. You want it to simmer, but not boil: extremely high heat will split the casing and make the meat tough. Plop the brats into the bath and let them hang out for around 20 minutes. Closing the lid will help the sausages absorb some smoky goodness. Finish them off with a quick sear on the hot side of the grill to crisp up the casing and add some appealing color.

Tradition calls for mounds of onions, sauteed and still dripping with butter. Change it up with a caramelized onion and red pepper relish for a spicy, summery punch and a brighter flavor.

Caramelized Onion and Red Pepper Relish

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and finely diced

1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla walla, peeled and finely diced

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 white vinegar

2 red bell peppers, finely diced

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Combine onions and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add balsamic and white vinegars, bell peppers, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 minutes; reduce heat to low and continue cooking until liquid is absorbed and relish has the consistency of marmalade, approximately 15 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.