Forget Classic Mustard – Top Your Brats With A Sweeter Option Instead

Is there anything better than a humble bratwurst? This sausage of German origin (much different from a hot dog, in case you were wondering) is a savory delight that is best boiled before hitting the grill to get the insides cooked through before the outsides are overdone. Perhaps one of the best things about bratwursts is how versatile they are; they're perfectly tasty eaten on a bun, without much else, but you can also dress them up with numerous toppings, and their deliciousness will still shine through. Plenty of people enjoy their bratwursts smothered in classic or brown mustard, but we'd like to submit an idea that's a little sweeter: maple mustard.

It's everything that's great about mustard, but with the sharp, piquant edges smoothed out with a rich, caramelly sweetness. If you don't like the bite of regular mustard, you must try your next bratwurst with a slathering of maple mustard instead because it's the best of both worlds: salty and savory mixed with the undeniably addicting sugary softness from the maple syrup.

You can purchase it ready-made at most grocery stores, but it's also the kind of condiment you might find homemade in a country store or roadside farm stand, so keep an eye out. You could also create your own at home, which allows you to control how much of each ingredient you include, so if you want it sweeter, add more maple syrup, and if you like a sharper bite, use more mustard.

There is no denying that simply adding some maple mustard to your bratwurst, whether you put it directly on the bun and then nestle the sausage on top, or place it on the brat last, is a basic but effective way to enjoy this flavor combination. But why not branch out a little bit and try applying the same combo in new ways? You don't, for example, have to keep the brats whole. Slice them up into bite-sized pieces and mix them with vegetables, then toss everything in maple mustard before popping it into the oven on a baking sheet. Thanks to the sugar from the maple syrup, everything will caramelize under the heat, adding an out-of-this-world dimension of flavor with very little effort (and minimal clean-up, if you place parchment paper down first as Ina Garten does).

You could also try marinating your brats in a maple mustard mix. If you can't get enough of the taste, imbue those sausages with a heavy dose of maple mustard by letting them sit in it in your fridge overnight, soaking it all up with a little beer to make a marinade. Then you can grill them as per usual, and if you're feeling wild, add even more of the maple-y, mustard-y goodness right on top.