Check which sausage you bought

This method uses raw pork bratwurst, not a precooked sausage. Read the package and follow any additional manufacturer directions. Do not prick the casing with a fork: escaping fat can cause flames and leaves a drier filling. Smooth-ended tongs are a better tool. Give onions a broad pan; in a deep narrow dish they spend more time steaming in their own moisture instead of slowly developing color.

For evenly softened onions, start with a lid over the pan and finish uncovered. Turn bratwurst with tongs rather than puncturing it with a fork. Check the package to distinguish raw sausage from a previously cooked product; appearance and firmness alone do not reliably tell you which you have. Keep raw ingredients refrigerated; clean hands, utensils and surfaces after contact, and use fresh plates for cooked food.

The recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 raw pork bratwurst, about 1 lb / 500 g total
  • 3 onions
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 3 tbsp / 50 ml water
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • ½ tsp dried marjoram
  • 4 rolls
  • 2 tbsp mustard

Method

  1. Slice onions into half-moons. Heat oil in a grill-safe skillet and add onions, salt and marjoram. Cook over moderate heat for 20–25 minutes, adding the water a little at a time if necessary.
  2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, with a direct cooking area and a separate unheated zone. Clean the grate before adding food. Keep the cooler side clear so pieces can finish gently or move away from any flare-up.
  3. Cook bratwurst indirectly with the lid closed for roughly 15–20 minutes. Brown all around over medium direct heat, turning gently without piercing the casings.
  4. Measure the center of several pieces with a clean thermometer. Ground beef, pork and lamb must reach 160°F / 71°C. Color alone cannot establish doneness, and estimated cooking times do not replace a temperature check.
  5. Check the center of each sausage. Toast rolls briefly and fill with mustard, cooked bratwurst and soft onions. Move the skillet only with dry heat-resistant gloves: its handle heats along with the rest of the pan.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers, within two hours or within one hour above 90°F / 32°C. Keep at 40°F / 4°C or colder and use within three to four days. Reheat only the portion needed to 165°F / 74°C throughout; discard food left out beyond those limits.

Use grilling equipment only in its intended location and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Timing is not a substitute for checking doneness.