Brats is a German sausage type made from pork, although it’s possible to find veal or beef brats. The word originated from two German words, brat, which means well-chopped meat, and the second is wurst, which means sausage.
Brats have a garlic flavor accompanied by other tastes such as cloves, pimentos, and marjoram. Despite being of German origin, brats have been embraced in the rest of the world, especially in the United States and Europe.
Besides, it varies in size and flavor depending on the different recipes developed over the years.
What Color Should Brats Be On The Inside?
Fully cooked brats should be white on the inside without any visible pink spots. A raw brat is pinkish and should turn to whitish after cooking at about 160 °F and for about 18 to 20 minutes. If you can still see pink patches on the inside, the brats are still not fully cooked. Eating undercooked brats could pose health risks to a person; thus, the advice is to put them back on the fire and recook them until they are fully cooked and white on the inside.
How to Cook Brats
If there is a meal one can enjoy cooking, it is a brat, and there are several reasons for that. I always love the sweet aroma and the ease of it when I do it.
You probably would too. However, first things first! I want to provide you with one of my best recipes for preparing a brat, and using it is a good idea and won’t disappoint.
Here is what you need and after that, how to prepare your brats.
Ingredients
- 5 Bratwursts
- 3 Bottles of beer
- Sliced onions (Preferably one but large size)
- ¼ Cup butter
Procedure
- Step 1: Place your brats in the skillet, and add the sliced onion, ½ stick of butter, and the beer. Ensure the beer covers all the brats.
- Step 2: Bring the mixture to a slow boil using medium-low heat. As the boiling continues, simmer the brats for about 15 minutes. That makes the bratwurst partially cooked.
- Step 3: Remove the brats from the mixture, and let them get rinsed off the beer.
- Step 4: Place the bratwursts on the grill and cook them at about 160 °F. Let the side cook for about 3 minutes. Keep turning the bratwursts until all the sides are cooked and turned brown.
That’s it, those are fully cooked brats. However, it is advisable to cut the bratwurst and ensure that there are no pink patches. If the inside is pinkish, then the best option is to discard the pinky brats.
What Other Ways Can I Cook Brats Without Having to Grill Them?
Grilling isn’t the only technique I use when preparing tasty brats. I like using different cooking methods to have diverse experiences with my brats.
On all these techniques, you will follow the procedure above up to step 3.
Some essential cooking techniques I adopt when preparing my brats to include:
1. Bake
As indicated earlier, I do the baking process after the partial cooking described up to step 3. From there, I place the brats in the oven and bake them for about 7 minutes at a temperature of 160 °F or above, then turn them to the other side and cook under similar conditions.
2. Pan Fry
It’s a simple method and involves cooking the sliced onions with little oil for about 2 minutes. Then place the bratwursts on the pan and cook each side until it turns brown. The internal temperature at this time should be 160 °F and above.
3. Pressure Cooking
It is the fastest and probably the easiest way to cook bratwursts. Begin by browning the brats on both sides and then place them in the instant pot and add beer or water.
Turn on the instant pot. At this time, you need to set the time and the temperatures. Set the temperatures at 160 °F and the time at six minutes. When the time expires, the bratwursts will be cooked and ready. Enjoy your meal!
Can I Get Sick From Eating Undercooked Bratwursts?
Undercooked brats are dangerous to one’s health as they could be a major of food poisoning. The poisoning is brought about by bacterial infections, which may weaken the body or even cause death.
Some of the possible infections one could acquire from eating undercooked brats include:
1. Trichinosis
It’s a food-borne infection that comes from consuming meats contaminated with the parasitic warm known as Trichinella. Symptoms include: nausea, stomach pain, fever, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, and diarrhea. If infected, see a doctor immediately!
2. Escherichia coli
The bacteria have severe infection symptoms, including bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
3. Campylobacter
The “S” shaped bacteria may cause severe health complications, including fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
4. Listeria Monocytogenes
The pathogenic infection from the microorganism will lead to health complications that include confusion and deteriorating levels of alertness. Other notable symptoms include stiff neck, headache, muscle ache, diarrhea, chills, and fever.
How Do I Ensure There Are No Health Risks After Consuming Brats?
I do several things if you want to ensure safety in consuming bratwursts. I have developed this as a way to avoid food poisoning. Some of the techniques I used to prevent brats-related food poisoning include:
- Cooking at a minimum of 160 °F,
- Enhancing hygiene levels during preparations,
- Ensuring I check the expiry date of the brats, and
- Avoid any pinkish-looking brats after cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Color Should Brats Be On The Inside?
Are Cooked Pinkish Brats Safe for Consumption?
Pinkish-colored brats are not safe for consumption. If the bratwurst does not turn color from pink to white after cooking, it’s advisable to throw it away.
Which is The Right Temperature to Cook My Bratwursts?
When cooking brats, the recommended minimum temperature is 160 °F. That’s because it guarantees the killing of all the bacteria.
Must I Boil My Brats Before Grilling Them?
It is advisable to boil the bratwurst as a precooking technique. That’s done to ensure the content inside is adequately cooked despite the brown skin.