Beer Brats in Blankets and Smoked Gouda Fondue
Savory bratwurst, simmered in dark German lager, wrapped in puff pastry, and served with a rich and smooth Smoked Gouda Fondue. This phenomenal combination of flavors and completely new take on “Pigs in Blankets” will make any party, any occasion, absolutely perfect.
This website uses affiliate links. See our Privacy Policy for more information.
Oh my dear Lord, this Beer Brats in Blankets and Smoked Gouda Fondue recipe. This stuff is so so good, I cannot even handle it.
This FONDUE alone is so fantastical, I’ll be making it time and time again. I had no idea fondue was so easy! And of course to spin it into a beer cheese ….I am so patting myself on the back. This is that good.
For this Beer Brats in Blankets post, I am working with Warsteiner beer and am I so happy about that.
Warsteiner is a favorite for my husband. When I got it at home for this post, he was all happy happy. Like, overly so. His German heritage glowed brightly.
And I didn’t know this until now, but apparently this has been a thing for him ever since we started going to the Food and Wine festival at Disney every year …he always stops in Germany for the Warsteiner Dunkel. Who knew.
Warsteiner has been brewing their beer since 1753. It is available in 70 countries, so no matter where you travel, you will probably be able to find it.
Little note of trivia: Warsteiner is brewed with water from the Arnsberg Forest …or the happy tears of nymphs or what-not. This soft water is ideal for brewing so they are devoted, and it is in accordance with the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 …I think it is fantastic that Germany has a 500 year old Beer Purity Law.
America needs to get on that.
So for this Beer Brats in Blankets recipe, I used the Dunkel because that is the Warsteiner that is the most “stout-ish”. And cooking with stout-ish beer, especially when making a cheese sauce, is the best.
The Dunkel is dark and rich, amber and smooth with a roasty flavor. It pairs well with assertive things like sausage, grilled meats, and spicy stuff. This is precisely why I used assertive smoked Gouda in the fondue, because it paired with the sausage and Dunkel beer perfectly.
Alright, so what did we do for this recipe …first, we simmer our brats in a couple Dunkel beers. Let them cool a bit, then we wrap them up in puff pastry and slice. Little egg wash, some sesame seeds to spruce them up, and they are ready for the oven.
Then while they are cooking, we make a very simple, very easy, very basic, very fantastically delicious fondue cheese sauce using smoked Gouda, sharp white cheddar, a little Dijon, and, of course, MORE BEER.
That’s it – really easy and SO DARN GOOD.
So that’s it folks! Beer Brats in Blankets and Smoked Gouda Fondue. Pigs in blankets …elevated. Juicy sausage, flaky puffed pastry, and this ridiculously delicious fondue.
If you like cooking with beer, here are more recipe ideas
- Garlic, Bacon and Beer Macaroni and Cheese
- Beer Barbecue Tater Tot Nachos
- Cheddar Beer Pumpernickel Bread Dip
- Honey Beer Barbecue Chicken and Waffles
- Beer Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
- Sam Adams Beer Pizza Dough
- Beer Batter Mushrooms with Poblano Beer Queso
- Beer Brats in Blankets and Smoked Gouda Fondue
Cooking with beer is one of the great joys in life, especially in a recipe like this where all these flavors really shine.
If you love German-inspired recipes, especially with BEER, also checkout my German Beer Cheese.
Beer Brats in Blankets and Smoked Gouda Fondue
Ingredients
For the brats
- 2 bottles Warsteiner Dunkel beer
- 1 (19 oz) pkg uncooked bratwurst sausages (5 brats)
- 1 (17.3 oz) pkg puff pastry dough, thawed
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard divided
- 1 large egg plus 1 Tbs water to make an egg wash
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
For the smoked gouda fondue
- 1 cup Warsteiner Dunkel beer
- 8 oz smoked Gouda cheese shredded
- 4 oz Vermont white sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz cream cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, put the brats to simmer in 2 beers for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Lay out the puff pastry dough. Shmere with a ~tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Wrap the brats in puffed pastry, then slice to 1-1/2 inch slices. Stand each piece up on a bake sheet. Brush each with egg wash, then sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
- While brats are cooking, prepare the Smoked Gouda Fondue: in a medium saucepan or small crockpot, add the remaining 8 ounces of beer and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard. Add the cheeses and heat, stirring often, until cheeses are melted and mixture is smooth.
- Serve the Beer Brats in Blankets with the Smoked Gouda Fondue. Yields approximately 26 party bites.
