German Bratwurst Burger
A German-inspired burger with bratwurst-infused beef, tangy sauerkraut, Gruyère cheese, and whole grain mustard.
- Prep
- 12min
- Cook
- 10min
- Total
- 22min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 820per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Squeezing raw bratwurst out of its casing and working it into the ground beef seasons the whole patty with the sausage's spices, often marjoram, nutmeg and white pepper, depending on the brand. At three parts beef to one part brat, it still eats like a burger, just with a sausage edge.
Drain the sauerkraut and warm it so it doesn't chill the patty or soak the bun. Whole grain mustard on both halves adds bite, Gruyère melts over the top, and a pretzel bun is dense enough to hold it all together.
German Bratwurst Burger
Prep 12 min, cook 10 min, total 22 min. About 820 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/german-bratwurst-burger
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Mix ground beef with bratwurst sausage meat (casings removed) until well combined. Season with salt and pepper, then form into 4 equal patties.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C). Add Gruyère slices in the last minute and let melt.
While patties cook, warm drained sauerkraut in a small pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Toast pretzel buns or kaiser rolls until lightly golden.
Assemble burgers: spread whole grain mustard on both bun halves, place beef-bratwurst patties with melted Gruyère on bottom buns, top with warm sauerkraut, then crown with top buns.
Tips
- Use fresh, uncooked bratwurst. Precooked links won't bind with the beef and leave rubbery pieces in the patty.
- Mix with your hands just until the two meats are evenly streaked. Overworking makes the patties dense and springy.
- Bratwurst is usually pork, so cook the patties all the way to 160°F (71°C), even if you usually serve beef burgers less done.
- Squeeze the sauerkraut hard in a sieve before warming it. Leftover brine runs straight into the bottom bun.
Substitutions
- Swiss or Emmental instead of Gruyère: milder, with the same easy melt.
- Kaiser rolls instead of pretzel buns: softer and less salty; toast them well so the mustard and sauerkraut don't soak through.
- All bratwurst: skip the beef and use 600 g of sausage meat for a softer, more sausage-like patty, cooked to the same 160°F (71°C).
- Spicy brown mustard instead of whole grain gives a smoother, sharper spread.
Make ahead & storage
Shape the raw patties up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Cooked patties keep 3 to 4 days; reheat in a skillet to 165°F (74°C). Opened sauerkraut keeps for several weeks refrigerated.
