Hard-Cider Braised Bratwursts with Apples & Onions
Updated Feb 15, 2021, Published Sep 01, 2015
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While this is not a traditional beer-braised bratwurst recipe, the hard apple cider adds a fun twist to this dish. The cider lends a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor that blends perfectly with the onions and apples. I have found that the kids are very drawn to the savory and sweet combination of the flavors in this recipe and happily devour it every time.
Hard-Cider Braised Bratwursts with Apples & Onions
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
- 6 gluten-free bratwursts, read labels carefully
- 2 large onions, cut into thick slices
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin slices
- 12 ounces hard apple cider
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup gluten-free German mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Once melted, add the bratwursts and cook about 5 minutes on each side. Once the bratwursts are in the pan, do not move them around until it is time to flip them over. The goal is to get a deep brown crust on two sides before adding the braising liquid. They will not sear properly if they are moved too often during the browning stage. Once you have a nice golden crust on 2 sides of the bratwursts, remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and, once melted, add the onions and apples. Cook on low for 5-10 minutes until slightly caramelized.
- Add the hard cider, brown sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Return the bratwursts to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook on low for about 15 minutes, or until the brown sugar starts to form a syrupy glaze and the braising liquid has been reduced by half.
- Garnish with the fresh sage and tarragon.
Nutrition
Calories: 625kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 15gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 1377mgPotassium: 691mgFiber: 4gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 455IUVitamin C: 9.8mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 1.6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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