Found my new go-to, summer favorite, ON REPEAT EVERY WEEK recipe – Homemade Brat Burgers with Gluten-Free Beer-Braised Caramelized Onions! Homemade bratwurst patties made from pork and spices are topped with luscious, beer-braised caramelized onions (read below for my thoughts on GF beer,) to create the most craveable dish that has ever come from my grill. There, I said it. This clean recipe is not only gluten and dairy-free, but seriously quick and easy.
After grilling these burgers up for the first time I thought they could use a hint of beer and onion flavor, which you traditionally boil brats in before grilling. Enter beer-braised caramelized onions. OH YES! Were talking seared onions simmered in gluten-free beer until golden brown, sticky-sweet, and perfectly caramelized. I don’t normally acknowledge a world in which brats aren’t buried under a blanket of tangy mustard, but these burgers topped with beer-braised caramelized onions slay the traditional combo. Aside from the taste, there’s something deeply satisfying about making something at home that’s traditionally thought of as something you can only buy at the store. The homemade bratwurst patties tastes just like my favorite store-bought brats but only contain pork and spices. No preservatives (besides salt,) no sugar, no additives – just real food.
Start by getting the beer-braised caramelized onions going. Add 1 jumbo sliced sweet onion to 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat then saute until the onions are golden brown, 10 minutes.
Next add 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce, salt, and a 12oz bottle of gluten-free beer. NOTE: If you have Celiac Disease I DO NOT recommend drinking or using “gluten-removed” or “gluten-reduced” beers like Omission, Glutiny, etc. I used to drink gluten-removed beers back when I was first diagnosed with CD and 100% know it was one of the reasons I was staying sick vs getting well. They aren’t consistently low enough in gluten ppm for people with CD or a serious gluten intolerance to safely drink. Instead, use a beer that’s brewed with gluten-free grains like rice, sorghum, etc. If you aren’t gluten-free, you can just use your favorite beer!
Turn the heat down to medium then simmer until the onions are tender and the beer is nearly absorbed, 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix up the brat burger patties. That’s just 1lb ground pork mixed with 3/4 teaspoon each ground sage, dry mustard, and salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon each dried rosemary, paprika, white pepper, and nutmeg. SO EASY!!!!
Form the mixture into four patties – they’ll be a little soft, but that’s ok – then spray the tops with nonstick spray and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. FYI, the way to get great grill marks is to heat your grill over high heat then turn it down to medium just before adding the patties!
Place the patties onto buns then top with a mountain of beer-braised caramelized onions, and dig in!
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