Bratwurst Lovers Will Want To Sink Their Teeth Into Wisconsin's Unique Burger
If you are a fan of bratwurst, you may want to consider spending some time in Wisconsin because, besides being famous for cheese, the Badger State is also renowned for its iconic brats. In fact, Wisconsin bratwursts have a long history as the sausages were believed to have been brought to the area by German immigrants, especially those who settled in Sheboygan — the Wisconsin city that was crowned the Bratwurst Capital of the World in 1970. Over the years, like many foods brought to the United States from other countries, the preparation of the famous Wisconsin brat has changed, and today, there is a new and incredibly delicious version of the brat that is popular throughout the state: The brat burger.
Despite what you may think when you hear the words "brat" and "burger" together, a Wisconsin brat burger isn't just two sausages between hamburger buns. Instead, brat burgers look like regular hamburgers. The only difference is that the patty is made from bratwurst meat. Because brat burgers have all the wonderful and spicy flavors of a good bratwurst sausage, they are often topped with typical brat toppings like Dijon mustard, pickled onions, beer sauce, or sauerkraut.
Where and how to try a brat patty burger
If you are looking for a traditional restaurant-style Wisconsin brat burger, you might just have to go to Wisconsin. This is because, while these burgers taste incredible, they unfortunately haven't spread much outside the Badger State or its Midwestern neighbors. However, if you do decide to travel to Wisconsin to try this delicacy, brat burgers are pretty easy to find across the state in any restaurant that is known for its bratwurst. For a vintage taste of the dish, you can try Schulz's Restaurant, a Sheboygan staple since the 1950s. Meanwhile, those in Milwaukee or Madison should consider checking out the Milwaukee Brat House and State Street Brats, respectively.
If you don't live near Wisconsin, the easiest way to get a brat burger is likely to make it yourself. Luckily, making a brat burger is relatively simple. If you've made hamburgers before, it is basically the same process but using fresh ground pork as the base meat and adding in some typical brat spices like white or black pepper, nutmeg, caraway seeds, and ground ginger. Once the meat has been seasoned, simply form it into patties and cook them on the grill. You can serve brat patty burgers with classic cookout sides like your best coleslaw, corn on the cob, or mac and cheese.
Other fun ways to enjoy a Wisconsin brat, burger or not
The traditional way to cook brats Wisconsin-style is to simmer them in beer for 10 to 15 minutes before grilling them over indirect heat for roughly the same amount of time. Try giving your brat patties a dunk in some simmering suds before tossing them on the grill. If you love cheese (like most Wisconsinites), then you will definitely enjoy a beef and cheddar brat patty. To make your cheesy brat patties Wisconsin-style, top them with beer-simmered onions and stone-ground mustard like celebrity chef Sandra Lee. Another option is to take a page from "Man v. Food" host Adam Richman and burgerize his Milwaukee beer-braised bratwurst sandwich.
If you are a fan of both football and the brat and cheese combo, you may want to try the famous game night pizza at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, this pizza is known as the Tailgater Specialty and has been introduced for the 2023 season, only at the stadium. The pizza cost $9 at launch; each pie has a mustard cheese sauce and is topped with bratwurst, bacon, and caramelized onions.