Wisconsin's Bratwurst Tradition

In Wisconsin, bratwurst is a favorite food for tailgating,thin, crisp crust and soft middle baked in a special oven.
picnics, fairs, holidays, baseball, football and any otherThere is an indentation running down the middle of the
time with the possible exception of when we areroll so people know which way to put a double brat (2
under a winter storm advisory. Even in the dead ofbratwurst on one roll). While Wisconsin bratwurst can
winter groups will be out in front of stores frying outbe bought in grocery stores across the country, the roll
and selling brats (short for bratwurst) for a fund raiser.is a local tradition.
Frying out is the popular terminology in Wisconsin forLegend has it that the semmel roll was invented
grilling out of doors.because eating bratwurst with fingers was too messy,
Germans brought their sausage recipes to Wisconsinespecially when one man decided he wanted a pickle
when they settled throughout the state in the 1800's.on his brat. With the advent of the roll, the sky was,
Bratwurst differs slightly in taste because of the spicesand still is the limit when it comes to piling condiments
and other meat fillers and how fine the pork is groundon a brat.
by the sausage makers. The main ingredient for what IWhile brat connoisseurs have their favorite brand of
have have always considered authentic bratwurst isbratwurst, the one thing that brings out their distinctive
pork though there are other sausages called bratwurstflavor is grilling them over charcoal. Restaurants
that are all beef or a mix of various meats other thanserving bratwurst will fry them on an indoor charcoal
pork.grill. I guess that could be called frying in. Frying
Sheboygan, a city of just over 50 thousand people,bratwurst in a pan on the stove alters the taste to a,
located on the shores of Lake Michigan half waybetter than most, very big breakfast sausage.
between the Green Bay Packers and MilwaukeeSome bratwurst makers now make bratwurst in a
Brewers, is the Bratwurst Capitol of the World. Theirpatty form to save grilling time. Grilling a link bratwurst
Bratwurst Day Festival has been an annual event ontakes a minimum of twenty minutes over hot coals.
the first Saturday in August, for almost 60 years. In theBrats need to be turned regularly and flames doused
1950's Sheboygan crowned a new Miss Bratwurstwith water to get an evenly well done, and not burned
Queen every year which was a festival highlight. Whilesausage. Patties are more forgiving, still taste good, but
there is no longer a Miss Bratwurst Queen, a bratare usually snubbed by traditionalists.
eating contest is a big event in the day long celebration.Nevertheless, sausage or pattie, as long as long as
What makes bratwurst unique in Sheboygan is theyou have a portable grill, you can fry out bratwurst
semmel roll in which they are served. The roll has aanywhere.