Stuffed Brats

These stuffed brats take standard sausages and add a lot of flavor. Each bratwurst is split down the middle and filled with a strip of pepper jack cheese. Thin bacon holds everything together while it cooks.

You can make this recipe on a grill or a smoker in about forty minutes. A layer of spicy mustard and a final glaze of fruit barbecue sauce give the meat a sweet and savory finish. It is a hearty main dish for any weeknight.

Why will you love Stuffed Brats?

Slicing the sausages creates a pocket that keeps the melting cheese contained during cooking.

Mustard acts as a binder so the dry spices stick to the slippery casing.

Resting the meat before applying the barbecue sauce prevents the glaze from burning on the grill.

Stuffed Brats Ingredients

• Bratwurst: Look for standard uncooked beer brats or your favorite pork sausage. Do not use pre-cooked sausages.

• Cheese: Pepper jack adds a nice heat, but sharp cheddar or gouda work well too. Buy a block and cut it into sticks.

• Bacon: Thin-cut bacon cooks at the same rate as the sausage. Thick-cut bacon will stay rubbery.

• Mustard: Jalapeño mustard or spicy brown mustard helps the spices adhere.

• Barbecue sauce: A sweet and spicy sauce like peach habanero balances the salty bacon.

Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Stuffed Brats

Step 1: Prep the sausages

Cut a slit down the length of each bratwurst, making sure not to cut all the way through the bottom. Press a strip of cheese deep into the opening. Brush the outside of the sausage lightly with mustard.

Step 2: Wrap and season

Sprinkle your dry rub over the mustard coating. Wrap one slice of thin bacon tightly around each sausage to hold the cheese inside. Tuck the ends of the bacon under the sausage. Dust the outside with extra chili powder if you want more heat.

Step 3: Cook and glaze

Place the sausages on your grill or smoker. Cook them until the bacon gets crisp and the pork reaches a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Let the meat rest briefly, then brush on the barbecue sauce and cook for a few more minutes until the glaze sets.

What to Serve with Stuffed Brats

Serve these sausages on sturdy toasted buns with a side of potato salad or grilled corn on the cob.

Helpful Tricks for Stuffed Brats

Ground pork sausages must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for food safety. Check the temperature in the center of the meat, avoiding the cheese pocket.

If you do not have a grill, you can bake these on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Secure the bacon with toothpicks if it starts to unravel before cooking. Remember to remove them before eating.

How to Store and Freeze Stuffed Brats

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until the pork reaches 165°F (74°C) inside. Freezing is not recommended because the cheese texture will change.

Stuffed Brats Recipe FAQs

Can I use pre-cooked sausages?

Uncooked brats work better because they will cook at the same pace as the raw bacon. If you use pre-cooked sausages, the meat might dry out before the bacon gets crisp.

What happens if the cheese leaks out?

Some cheese will naturally bubble out as it cooks. Wrapping the bacon tightly over the slit helps keep most of the cheese inside the sausage.

How do I prevent flare-ups on the grill?

Cook the sausages over indirect heat. Dripping bacon fat will cause flames if it falls directly onto the hot coals or burners.

Stuffed Brats

Bratwursts are sliced open, filled with pepper jack cheese, wrapped in bacon, and grilled until cooked through.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 5 servings

Ingredients

  

• 10 large uncooked bratwurst sausages about 2.5 lbs / 1.1 kg
• 4 oz pepper jack cheese cut into 10 long strips, 115 g
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown or jalapeño mustard
• 1 tablespoon garlic jalapeño dry rub or spicy seasoning
• 10 slices thin-cut bacon about 10 oz / 280 g
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper blend optional
• 1/2 cup peach habanero or sweet barbecue sauce 120 ml

Instructions

 

• Preheat your grill or smoker to 350°F (175°C) for indirect heat.
• Cut a slit down the top of each bratwurst from end to end. Do not cut all the way through the bottom.
• Push a strip of pepper jack cheese into the slit of each sausage.
• Brush the outside of the sausages with a light, even layer of mustard.
• Sprinkle the garlic jalapeño seasoning over the mustard.
• Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage in a spiral, making sure it covers the cheese slit.
• Place the sausages on the grill over indirect heat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and a meat thermometer inserted into the pork reads 160°F (71°C).
• Remove the sausages from the heat and let them rest for 5 minutes.
• Brush the barbecue sauce over the bacon. Return the sausages to the grill for 5 to 8 minutes until the sauce becomes sticky.

Notes

Ground pork sausages must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for food safety. Check the temperature in the center of the meat, avoiding the cheese pocket.

If you do not have a grill, you can bake these on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Secure the bacon with toothpicks if it starts to unravel before cooking. Remember to remove them before eating.

Keyword bacon wrapped, grilled sausages, pork dinner, smoker recipes, stuffed brats