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Grilled Beer Brats with Peppers and Onions

Grilled beer brats with peppers and onions made by simmering bratwurst in lager for tender, juicy links, then finishing on a hot grill for charred grill marks. Sweet peppers and caramelized onion rings get lightly charred texture that pairs perfectly with a crackly brat crust.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brats & Beer Bath
  • 6 bratwurst links Use raw links for the beer simmer bath.
  • 24 oz lager or pale beer 2 bottles total for the bath.
  • 1 yellow onion Roughly sliced.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
Grilled Peppers & Onions
  • 2 bell peppers 1 red and 1 yellow, sliced into strips.
  • 1 yellow onion Sliced into rings.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
For Serving
  • 6 hoagie buns or bratwurst buns Split and toasted.
  • 1 yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard or your favorite condiments For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the beer bath and simmer brats
  1. Add the bratwurst links, roughly sliced onion, beer, garlic powder, and black pepper to a large skillet or aluminum foil pan.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 15–20 minutes, turning brats halfway through, without boiling.
Preheat and grill the peppers and onions
  1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 400°F.
  2. Toss the sliced bell peppers and onion rings with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
  3. Place peppers and onions directly on the grill grates or in a grill basket and cook for 10–12 minutes, tossing occasionally, until softened and lightly charred.
  4. Remove peppers and onions and set aside.
Finish brats on the grill and toast buns
  1. Remove brats from the beer bath and place directly on the hot grill.
  2. Grill brats for 4–5 minutes per side, until skin is golden-brown with visible charred grill marks and brats snap when pressed.
  3. Toast the buns cut-side down on the grill for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Assemble and serve
  1. Load each bun with a brat, pile on the grilled peppers and onions, and finish with your mustard or favorite condiments.
  2. Serve immediately while brats are hot and the peppers and onions are still lightly charred.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the beer at a steady gentle simmer (not a hard boil) so the links stay juicy before grilling. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3–4 days; reheat gently. Freezing: yes—freeze cooked brats and peppers/onions separately up to 2 months. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium beer seasoning or slightly cut the added salt in the pepper mix while keeping the grill browning steps the same.