Slow Cooker Brats
A simple and flavorful recipe that works all year around in any weather is making Brats in a Slow Cooker with peppers, onions and tomatoes.
Add a can of your favorite beer or use the juice from diced tomatoes if you prefer alcohol free. Either option is enjoyable and full of flavor with less than 15 minutes of prep time.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Brats Recipe
Growing up, my mom always boiled brats before grilling, and it felt like a little bit of an ordeal, so I avoided making them myself.
Then my hairdresser created this no boil brats recipe and convinced me to give it a try. We love how convenient it is to use pre-seasoned meat. Having the vegetables cook right alongside makes it an easy one pot meal.
What I Love:
- Our Slow Cooker Brats recipe is uncomplicated and perfect for days when you need dinner, but don’t want to put much thought into it.
- Rain, snow, no grill – it doesn’t matter. Anyone can enjoy these easy brats anytime of the year.
- This recipe also works well with Italian Sausage.
- You can even add mushrooms to the slow cooker and serve them on the side, since they don’t hold up well piled onto a bun.
Ingredients Needed
- Brats – a 5 pack of your favorite flavor profile. My husband loves the beer flavored, so that’s typically what I choose.
- Diced Tomatoes – bigger chunks work better than petite here because of the longer cooking time.
- Beer – is optional and a personal preference. The recipe tastes great cooking in the juice from the tomatoes too.
- Onion
- Bell Pepper – I like to use a mix of colors—red, orange, and yellow. Use the equivalent of one sliced bell pepper total.
- Minced Garlic – about two cloves or two teaspoons from a jar.
How To Make Brats In A Crock Pot
Set a non-stick skillet to medium high heat. We do not use any oil.
Use tongs to brown each of the four sides. This takes about a minute per side. Rotate often to prevent burning.
Add the full can of diced tomatoes including the juice to the crock pot.
Arrange the brats in a single layer leaving space around each one if possible.
If using beer add 1 cup to a full can.
Sprinkle the garlic over the brats.
Then add the slices of onions and bell pepper.
Cover and cook on high for one hour. Then turn down to low and cook for an additional four hours.
Serve on a bun or with mashed potatoes, rice or your favorite side!
Brats Cooked With Or Without Beer
My hairdresser likes to add a tall can of light beer and my husband prefers a regular can of a lager beer. I prefer 1 cup of liquid over the whole can.
The crock pot brats will taste great with or without beer, so it is really about personal preference.
How To Add Sauerkraut
Add sauerkraut on top of the brauts to help avoid burning on the bottom and sides. Cover and cook as directed in the recipe card below.
We have another great variation of Sauerkraut and Kielbasa in the Crockpot here.
Jennifer’s Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Browning the brats makes them more flavorful before finishing in the slow cooker.
- Cooking the onions submerged in the beer makes them more flavorful.
- Garlic optional as it is mixed in some flavors of brats.
- This recipe works interchangeably with Italian Sausage.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Crock Pot Lasagna with Broken Noodles
- Creamy Crock Pot Potatoes
- Old Fashioned Ham & Beans in the Crock Pot
- Country Style Pork Ribs in the Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Brats
Ingredients
- 19 ounces brats
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup beer optional
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 medium sweet onion sliced
- 1 bell pepper sliced
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 6 quart of larger slow cooker with non stick spray.
- Set a skillet to medium high heat and brown the brats. Use tongs to rotate and brown each side – about 1 minute per side.19 ounces brats
- Pour tomatoes and spread in an even layer in the bottom of the crock.14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- Lay brats in a single layer over the tomatoes.
- If using beer add to the crock now. The juice in the tomatoes works fine too.1 cup beer
- Sprinkle garlic (optional) over the brats.1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add slices of bell pepper and onion.1 medium sweet onion, 1 bell pepper
- Set to high and cook for one hour. Then turn down to low and cook for four more hours. Brats are safe to eat when they've reached an internal temperature of 160℉.
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