Pellet Smoker Cooking: Brat & Bologna Bites and Beer Brined Oven Fries

Jan 30 2016

I love brats and sometimes I take brats from my butcher, take them out of the casings and make brat patties.I found a recipe for brat bites, meatballs, and beer horseradish mustard. I had already made the mustard and bought 4 fresh brats from my butcher.

We were blessed with 56 deg. and sun today so it was great to be out cooking. 56 deg. In Jan. is almost unheard of here in Ohio! Before noon I cut up the potatoes for fries and mixed a tablespoon of salt with a lager beer. I added the potatoes and enough water to cover then in the fridge to brine for over 3 hours. About an hour before baking them drain and rinse in a collander then back in the fridge to drain well.

I cut the 4 brats in thirds, removed the casings and made the meatballs. I seasoned half with Super Pig and half with Blues Hog Rub. They went in the fridge for a little over an hour before smoking. I also had one inch chunk of old fashioned bung bologna from my butcher I cut up and seasoned with Blues Hog Rub.

I put the brat bites and bologna on my Treager at 4:30 PM preheated to 190 deg. about 200-210 grill level. After 45 minutes I went to 270-280 grill level for another 45 minutes.

I got the fries ready to go in a 400 deg. oven for a half hour, coated them with ghee and Penzey's sandwich sprinkle and turned them half way through.

It all came together at 6:00 PM, my wife had made us a green salad. It all tasted great, the brats bites were just right, done but still juicy inside! My mustard was goo with the brats and bologna! My oven fries didn't get as brown as usual. I used ghee for the first time and think it is better suited for skillet frying. I will go back to olive oil the next time.

The Brat Bites