Hail to the champs with bratwurst and fried cheese curds

By Mark Cotton
Cold, Hard Football Facts Brat Packer

Bratwurst with Beer Batter Fried Cheese Curds

It could be argued that the only thing harder than winning the Super Bowl is being the defending champs. After all the parades, endorsements and getting to meet the president, you probably get to enjoy it for all of one week before the rest of the league paints a giant target on your back. Mel Brooks may have said that it’s good to be the king, but it sure as hell ain’t easy.
 
Green Bay, the current kings of football, have the honor of hosting the regular season opener against New Orleans, a team all too familiar with carrying that same target on their back, having been in the same position the year before.

In honor of Green Bay’s current status of being king of the mountain, we invite you to enjoy this sandwich. The fried cheese curds and the bratwurst can be eaten separately, but really when you are the king, you can do whatever the hell you want, so why not enjoy them together?

Cook's note: Since the Brats can be kept in a holding sauce, it’s suggested that you cook them first, so you can add the fried cheese curds while they are still hot.
 
For the Brats:

• 10 bratwurst sausages
• 2 bottles of good beer and one for the chef. Preferably pilsner.
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped.
• 10 Large sausage buns.
• Mustard (optional)

 
For the holding sauce:

• 2 large cans of stewed tomatoes
• 1 large onion, sweet or not, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 2 bottles of good beer and another for the chef, (remember, cooking is hard, thirsty work,) pilsner if you’ve got it.

 
Instructions:
 
While your grill is heating up, bring your first two bottles of beer and one onion to a simmer. (It should be steaming but not boiling.) Add the brats and simmer for roughly 20 min, using tongs to handle the sausages as they cook.
 
While the brats are simmering, combine all the ingredients for the holding sauce and bring to a simmer but not to a boil.
 
 When the grill is ready and the brats have been simmered, transfer them to the grill and cook evenly on both sides, gently browning them and avoiding flare-ups. Take care not to puncture the skin. When they are cooked, transfer the brats to the holding sauce and keep it at a simmer until it’s ready to serve.
 
For the deep fried cheese curds:
 
Cheese curds, also known as squeaky cheese, can be somewhat of a challenge to find if there isn’t a cheese factory in your area. To overcome this sad circumstance, this company is more than happy to ship you vacuum-sealed cheese curds right to your door.
           
If you do like the look of these curds, remember that Google is your friend.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 Extra Large Egg
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of beer. The kind doesn’t matter but avoid really dark beer.
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
• 9 ounces of cheese curds
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:
 
Combine all the ingredients except the cheese and frying oil in a large bowl and combine, starting with the wet ingredients first and then adding the dry until the batter is smooth.
 
Heat your oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 375F.
 
Drop your cheese curds in your bowl and stir till they are coated evenly.  Drop a few of the curds at a time in the hot oil, cooking for 1 minute, turning in the oil so they get cooked on all sides evenly.  Do not overcook or the cheese will melt through the batter no one will be happy with that. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels, allowing them to cool for a few minutes before serving.
 
To Serve:
 
Warm your buns on the grill just enough so they are soft. Line the bottom of your bun with the fried cheese curds, enough to roughly form one layer. Add a warm brat on top, with plenty of onions from the sauce. Top with mustard, if you are having it, and enjoy.

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