Whether you have raw or precooked brats, the best small flat top grill can help you prepare crispy and tasty brats. You don’t have to wait till the next big bbq party to enjoy the mouthwatering brats.
However, cooking raw brats directly on the flat top grill without boiling is often challenging. If you don’t take caution and use the right heat level you may end up with a brat that is undercooked on the inside.
Fortunately, a flat top grill has a precise and easy-to-control temperature.
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What’s the Right Temperature for Cooking Brats on a Flat Top Grill?
You should use a medium-low temperature level to cook the brats. So a heat level of about 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit should suffice.
Just like when cooking eggs on a flat top grill[how to cook eggs on a flat top grill], brats don’t require high heat settings.
How Long Should You Cook Brats on a Flat Top Grill?
The time taken to cook brats on a flat top grill depends on the thickness and whether the brats are raw or precooked already.
Raw brats take a relatively longer time than precooked brats on a flat top grill. With that said, raw brats require a total time of about 20 minutes to fully cook on a flat top grill using a medium-low heat level.
On the other hand, precooked brats take slightly less time (5 to 8 minutes per side) on the flat top grill.
How Do You Know Brats Are Done On a Flat Top Grill?
Eating brats that aren’t fully cooked is unhealthy. So besides the brown color change, it’s wise to conduct a further test to ensure the food is cooked evenly from the inside.
So here is how to know when the brats are fully cooked on the flat top grill;
Use a Meat Thermometer
One of the easiest ways to tell when the brats are done is by a meat thermometer. Insert the tip of instant read thermometer into the brats. If the internal temperature reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit, then it’s ready.
Cake Tester
Although a meat thermometer is a surer method, you can get by with a cake tester. Angle the cake tester and poke into one of the brats.
Note the temperature of the tester with your wrist. Hot means it’s ready and warm means medium-rare cooked.
How to Cook Brats On a Flat Top Grill
Preheat the oven
The initial step is preheating the oven over medium-low temperature. A heat level of about 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit is sufficient.
Create Some Holes in the Brats
Some people love to create a few holes in the brats. The holes make it easy for the garlic or pepper flavor to infuse into the brats. So use a sharp knife to poke a few holes into the brats.
Load the Brats On the Flat Top Grill and Cook
After the grill has pre-heated, load the brats. At the same time add garlic powder and pepper. Then cook till they turn golden brown. That should take about 5 minutes.
Baste With Light Beer, Non-Alcoholic Drink, or Water
Next, baste the brats and the seasonings with light beer or water for a nonalcoholic taste.
Turn Using Tongs
Turn the brats using tongs and equally baste with more bear. Cook for the next five minutes again till it becomes warm and light brown.
Test With a Thermometer
Take an instant thermometer and test the internal temperature level. If it reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit it means the brats are ready.
The above steps hold for how to prepare pre-cooked brats. However, if you have raw brats and need to cook them on a flat top grill, follow the below steps;
How To Cook Raw Brats On a Flat Top Grill
Add Light or Dark Beer to a Saucepan
Depending on your preference you can use a nonalcoholic drink, water, light or dark beer. Pour it to a sauce pan. Then add garlic powder, sliced onions, and other spices to the same saucepan.
Turn to Medium-High Heat
Heat the content of the saucepan over medium-high heat level. Poke a few holes on the brats and dip them into the beer.
Bring to Boil
Bring the beer or non-alcoholic liquid and brats to boil. Next turn down the heat to medium-low. While at medium-low heat and covered simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
Flip Over the Brats
At the elapse of 10 minutes, flip over the brats and proceed to simmer at the same temperature for the next 10 minutes.
Remove and Discard the Liquid
Using tongs remove the brats and discard the liquids plus the seasonings. Set aside the brats
Preheat the Flat Top Grill
Preheat the flat top grill over medium-low temperature. After preheating, load the brats on the griddle, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes.
Flip Over and Continue Cooking
After the elapse of five minutes open the lid flip over the brats and continue cooking (covered) for the next 5 minutes. Test with an instant thermometer if it registers an internal temperature level of 160 degrees. Otherwise, continue heating till it attains that required temperature level.
Alternatively, you can cook raw brats without first boiling them. In that case, you need to turn the cooking temperature to medium-low and cook the brats for about 18 to 25 minutes.
When it’s ready it should no longer have a pink color and also give an internal heat level of 160 degrees. Don’t be deceived by the browning exterior, ensure the interior is done as well.
Conclusion
Just like an instant-read thermometer plays a crucial role when cooking chicken on a flat top grill[how to cook chicken on a flat top grill], you need the device when preparing brats.
Otherwise, it isn’t easy to tell when the inside part of the brat is done or not. A flat top grill makes it convenient and trouble-free to cook brats. Do you wish to give it a try?
Go ahead and put what you have learned into a test!