This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Smithfield®. The opinions and text are all mine.
I love the taste of a rich lager beer during summer, and I have been on a real grilling kick lately. When I learned that Smithfield® came out with a new product, brats that are infused with Yuengling® beer, I got pretty excited! Bringing my love of good food together with tasty beer is a specialty of mine, and I wanted to share a way to grill and serve these brats that you’re going to love. I wanted to added lots of vibrant color to this meal with fresh toppings and flavors you and your guests are going to love. Learn more about my experience with Smithfield® Craft Collection™ Yuengling® Brats, they’re such a great excuse to celebrate summer!
I found my Smithfield Yuengling Bratwurst at my Kroger. You can purchase your own by shopping at your local Kroger or Kroger banner store like Ralph’s, Smiths or Food 4 Less!
- Smithfield Yuengling Bratwurst (Make 1-2 per guest, I always make extras to have as leftovers)
- Colorful Bell Peppers
- 1 package of Pearl Onions (I fit about 12 per skewer)
- At least 1-2 (12 oz) Beers (for boiling brats) – Try Yuengling Lager for extra flavor!
- Buns
- Condiments (see below for ideas)
- Small, Colorful Heirloom Tomatoes or similar
- Olive Oil
- Seasoning of choice for peppers
Checking labels and ingredient lists is really important to me, so when I looked at the back of the brats packaging and found only two ingredients – pork and beer, I was sold That shows you how fresh and natural these brats are. The casing stayed together very well during cooking, and the taste of Yuengling was definitely present. Yuengling is America’s oldest brewery (located in Pottsville PA) and Smithfield (located in Smithfield, VA) is the ham capital of the world. Both come from towns with a slower, more thoughtful pace – grounded in tradition with a pride for their heritage. With that heritage comes an appreciation for quality, flavor and family; why Smithfield & Yuengling make the perfect pair.
I also love incorporating as many fresh ingredients as possible into each recipe as side dishes and toppings, so I wound up doing 4 skewers on the grill as well, along with slices of colorful bell peppers.
FOR THE SKEWERS
These turned out absolutely beautiful! I am learning that a bit of “char” to the veggies enhances the taste so much, and adds a certain rustic appearance to the food that I just love so very much. It’s so visually pleasing, and can take almost any variety of pepper, onion, or garlic, and transform it into a delicacy with very little oil or salt. These flavors compliment the brats extremely well.
I like to add a seasoning mix and olive oil to most veggies I cook, and this time, I peeled the sin off of each little pearl onion by slicing off the bottom, and just doing a twisting motion, until the top of the onion skin came off. These were so darn cute :) I skewered everything.
I thought the little pearl onions would be a cute and clever take on grilled onions that are traditionally served on a brat or hotdog. And they were so cute! The brat I made with stone ground mustard and pearl onions was delicious!
** Note – to prepare bell peppers for grilling, slice a couple slices from the middle part of the peppers to get the prettiest cuts before chopping up the rest of the peppers to boil with the brats.
FOR THE BRATS
These brats are made with premium cuts of pork and a special blend of sweet and savory spices. There is no MSG added, they were tasty and super easy to work with! All you need to do is pour your beer into a pot and turn on the stove to medium high. Chop up the remainder of the 4 bell peppers, and ¼-1/2 of a red onion, and add those to the beer. Once boiling, carefully add your brats to the hot liquid, and boil with a lid on for about 10 minutes. Make sure the internal temp is around 165 degrees.
Meanwhile, add skewers to your hot grill which should be sprayed with non-stick spray. Also, add bell pepper rings here too. These will take about 6 minutes to cook.
After your brats are boiled, add them to a hot grill. You’re basically looking to get those beautiful grill marks here, not really cooking them. They get such a nice flavor from the grill too!
It was so fun to dress up these Smithfield ™ Yuengling Brats with fresh ingredients I grilled myself! This would be a great way to get kids and possible picky eaters to enjoy more veggies, too. Everything is more fun in bright colors, and the peppers look stunning served with these brats. Bring everything in from the grill on a sheet pan, and it’s quite a beautiful display!
Have you ever cooked brats before? This was my first time, and had no problems at all – things went so smoothly, that I know you can do it too! What will you be grilling this summer?
Right now, you can save $1 when you purchase Smithfield Yuengling Bratwurst at Kroger! Stop by your local Kroger to grab some today!