The Simple Way To Use Up Leftover Grilled Bratwursts

Mixing together various types of meat and spices, bratwurst is an especially aromatic sausage. Kissed with the smoke of the grill, it makes for a dependable cookout protein, and it's even more tender if you boil the brats first. Such mouthwatering qualities make it all too easy to prepare an excess, resulting in leftover meat stowed away in the fridge. Thankfully, there's a simple way to use up the remains: Whip up a hash.

Pair the sausage with cubed potatoes, diced onions or garlic, and an assortment of vegetables, and you'll have a satisfying meal that might top the grill-out itself. The assembly welcomes a wide range of ingredients, but to really let the brats shine, follow a specific formula. Start by selecting the potatoes. Varieties like Yukon Golds or russets form the best crust, although you're welcome to employ sweet potatoes and other tubers, too. Cube the ingredient into small, quarter-inch pieces, and gently par-cook it in a pot of boiling water or in the microwave, thus readying it for pan-seared crispiness.

Now, onto the centerpiece sausage. Roughly slice the brats, then swiftly fry them in a spacious pan. You won't need long — the meat is already cooked — but let the aromatics seep into the oil. Remove the brat slices, then throw in the potatoes, using the flavored fat to brown them. Round out the dish by cooking the alliums and other vegetables, and you'll craft a simple hash that delectably merges sausage, potatoes, and seasoning.

Stick to a straightforward sausage, potato, and onion hash, and the dish will turn out tasty. Nevertheless, the template also welcomes more complex ingredient combinations, letting you use up produce in one go. In the vegetable department, consider ingredients that mingle well with brats. Sweet, softened bell peppers are a classic choice, and you can't go wrong with the comforting flavors of carrots and celery. You could also pair apples and bratwurst for a creative merging of sweetness and spice. And don't forget that you can add softer fruits and vegetables, such as peas, mushrooms, spinach, or tomatoes, into the mix, too.

Flesh out the seasoning with herbs, sauces, and spices. Sage, thyme, or cumin seeds drive the hash in an earthy direction, while scallions and a touch of mustard incorporate spiced notes. Whether you're making a sweet potato and sausage hash or a bell pepper-heavy mix, sprinkle in chili flakes or a dash of hot sauce for a sweet-and-spicy palate. Looking for tangy, fermented notes? You could even chop in sauerkraut to make the hash a thoroughly German rendition. Serve it alongside a batch of restaurant-quality scrambled eggs, and you'll have a breakfast that lets leftover bratwurst shine.