Traveling in Quarantine: Germany
Beer Bratwurst with Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 pounds fresh bratwurst links
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup of a Lager Beer
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon caraway seed
- 4 cups sauerkraut drained
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Brown bratwurst in oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic and cook until lightly caramelized. Add stock, beer, paprika, caraway seeds, and sauerkraut and simmer for 45 minutes.
Oktoberfest Beer Cheese with Pretzels
Ingredients
Cheese
- Oktoberfest Beer Cheese with Pretzels
- 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup German beer
Pretzels * From Just a Taste:
- 1 1/2 cups warm 110-115°F water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for topping
- 1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Vegetable oil
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Place the cubed cheese in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, about 10 pulses.
- Add the worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper to the cheese and begin to process. While processing, pour the beer through the feed tube in a steady stream and process until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency, about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with pretzels.
Pretzel Directions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, sugar and kosher salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and butter to the bowl and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 3 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl. Clean the bowl, grease it with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dark place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and position the oven racks in the middle two positions in your oven.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper then lightly oil the paper.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, stir together the 10 cups of water and the baking soda then bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 6 pieces. (Do not flour your work surface.)
- Roll each piece into a rope roughly 1-inch in diameter then cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
- In batches, add the bites to the boiling baking soda mixture for 30 seconds then use a slotted spoon to remove them onto the oiled baking sheets.
- Brush the bites with the egg wash and sprinkle them with kosher salt.
- Bake the bites until golden brown in color, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans (between racks and turning to rotate pans) halfway through.
- Remove the soft pretzel bites from the oven and serve.
