What could be better than a bratwurst covered in bacon? A bacon-wrapped bratwurst filled with CHEESE and smoked!
I feel that cheese and bacon improve everything, and this dish is no exception. It’s low-carb, keto-friendly, and ready in under an hour.
Contents
- So what is a bratwurst?
- How to make Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Brats
- How to serve Bacon wrapped Cheddar Brats
- Here are some great sides that pair perfectly with these brats:
- FAQs
- How long does it take to smoke bacon wrapped brats?
- How long to smoke bacon wrapped brats at 250?
- Do you flip brats when smoking?
- Do you have to boil brats before smoking?
- How long does it take to smoke brats at 225?
- How long do you smoke brats at 275?
- How to smoke brats at 225?
- Should you poke holes in sausage before smoking?
- How do you tell if smoked brats are done?
- What smoke is best for brats?
So what is a bratwurst?
Bratwurst is a sort of fresh sausage that originated in Germany:
Brt: finely chopped meat
Wurst: sausage
In the United States, bratwurst (sometimes known as brats) is particularly popular in the Midwest. They may be served on a bun like a hot dog, sliced and mixed with another meal, or just eaten on its own.
How to make Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Brats
1.Make a cradle
With your knife, cut the bratwurst lengthwise to make a tiny cradle for your cheese. DO NOT slice through to the other side; instead, strive to cut approximately halfway through the sausage.
After slicing the brat, press the meat filling to the side to make room for the cheese.
2.Stuffthat brat
For this dish, you may use nearly any variety of cheese. Sharp cheddar is one of my favorite cheeses. In addition, I like to cut from a bigger block of cheese since it melts better.
Cut your block of cheese into five tiny rectangles. You want it to be about a half-inch shorter than the bratwurst on both ends.
3.Seal that brat
Place the cheese in the middle of the sausage, then coil the sausage around it and seal the edge with your fingers. It is critical to seal the border so that the cheese does not seep out when cooking.
4.Wrapthe brats with bacon
Wrap the bratwurst with a piece of thick-cut streaky bacon after it has been loaded with cheese.
You may use two pieces of bacon if you wish, but I prefer one so that there is no undercooked bacon on the interior of the wrap.
5.Season with bbq rub
A generous sprinkling of your preferred barbecue rub completes the dish.
I used the PS Seasoning Notorious P.I.G. rub in this recipe. It’s a combination of sugar, salt, chili pepper, and garlic that’s mildly sweet with a spicy burst at the end.
Check out these Delicious Dry Rubs for Pork if you want to make your own rub at home.
6.Fire up the smoker
Simply heat your smoker to 250°F. I used Bear Mountain Bourbon BBQ pellets to smoke them on my Camp Chef Woodwind 24 pellet smoker.
When your smoker is ready, just set the brats on the grates.
Allow them to smoke for approximately an hour, or until the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit using an instant-read meat thermometer like the ThermoPro TP19.
They are ready to eat after the sausage has reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F and the bacon has crisped to your preference.
How to serve Bacon wrapped Cheddar Brats
These brats are excellent on their own, but they can also be turned into a Bacon-wrapped Cheddar Brat-dog! For an enormous portable meal, place the bacon-wrapped brat on a hot dog bun and top with spicy brown mustard.
Here are some great sides that pair perfectly with these brats:
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- The Best Pasta Salad for BBQ
- Smoked Beer Mustard Potatoes
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Homemade Classic French Fries
