Cooking suggestions for brats and sauerkraut for a pot luck. With limited supplies and kitchen.

We'll be having a cabin at a place that has a pot luck Saturday.

Our cabin will have a stove/oven (no drinkable water tho, high sulfur well water water).
At the pavilion they'll have some very bad gas grills. At the cabin a very good gas grill.

The delima is the brats and sauerkraut will need to be carried in a foil roasting pan for service.
Should I grill the brats, slice them and put in the foil pan with sauerkraut and onions and peppers.
How should I add the beer element for these quantities (about 20 people).
Just cook everything separately that afternoon and put in the foil pan and warm?
Any suggestions or recipes for Kraut, brats, onions, peppers would help.
I'll cheat and bring some pre-made soft pretzels to be warmed on the pavilion grill.
Would those be okay to defrost in the 'fridge Friday..as freezer and transport won't allow frozen.

Sam1148
  • Posted by: Sam1148
  • October 6, 2011
  • 8717 views
  • 6 Comments

6 Comments

AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 6, 2011
I would roast the sauerkraut in advance for as long as you can with a couple of onions, a couple of sliced apples and a bottle of sweet white wine. Don't worry that you've got beer in the meal. You're adding the wine for flavor, and the kraut won't taste like wine. I'd put a few crushed juniper berries and some bay leaves in cheesecloth and tie it up, and cook the kraut with that, too. Roast to caramelize, turning it over every half hour. If you only have a couple of hours, do it at high heat, just make sure you flip it over regularly so the onions don't burn. Serve with brats and a good, coarse brown mustard and absolutely the best rolls you can find. Have fun!! ;o)
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 October 6, 2011
Yes, it will be sauerkraut, onions and peppers, and brats. (sliced).
I'm cheating on the pretzels tho..and bringing some CostCo frozen soft pretzels. They're pretty consistent and one less thing to make ahead.

It's the logistics that's a bit of bother now...and bringing selected cookware. We over pack enough now as it is. Shopping tomorrow after noon and leaving about 6pm.
 
Droplet
Droplet October 6, 2011
I would add some paprika as well, it goes well with sauerkraut. Combining it with soft pretzels is a really great idea. Generally I think it is ok to freeze unbaked breads to be baked later but freezing baked ones and warming up later might not work very well. I, personally would bake them at home the day before, cool and tie them in several bags and bring them that way, all ready. They will stay soft and may even be fine without having to reheat them.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 6, 2011
Okay, now I understand the concept - a one-pot meal with bread on the side. I think apples would go over well. Are you thinking about making a version of sauerkraut that contains onions and apples?
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 October 6, 2011
No..won't be on buns. I want to reduce waste and let people just get a serving as their will be other dishes at the potluck. The grilled soft pretzels with mustard would be bread element.
What other spices should I add. Caraway seeds would be a must for me..do you think apples might not go over well for a crowd?
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 6, 2011
Are you planning on serving brats on buns with sauerkraut, onions, etc... as condiments? The WI way of cooking brats is to boil them in beer +/- sliced onions, then grill them. I'd consider caramelizing the onions then adding some beer at the end and reducing it down.
 
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