Should You Poke Holes In Brats Before Cooking?
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Poking holes in brats is a controversial topic. Some argue that it’s a waste of time, while others say it enhances the flavor. Let’s break down the pros and cons so you can decide for yourself!
What Will the Poking Do?
The holes, however, do not allow the fat to escape. The brat is still wrapped in it, so the fat will cook and create a crispy crust on both sides of the sausage.
This can be good or bad, depending on your taste preferences. If you like a juicy sausage that’s juicy all the way through, this isn’t what you want.
Why Should You Avoid it?
If you’re looking for a crispier bratwurst with all of its juices intact (and really, who isn’t?), then poking holes won’t do anything but make it more difficult to cook evenly and prevent browning of parts of raw meat inside your brat as they may stick together during Cooking.
What Else Can You Do to Enhance the Flavor?
Brats are good enough on their own, of course. But here are different ways you can enhance the flavors even more:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Butter
Also, here are some popular toppings that people like to put on top of their brats to make them even tastier:
- Jalapenos
- Granny smith apples
- Sauerkraut
- Hot banana peppers
- & more
Should You Poke it After Cooking?
If you decide to poke your brats after cooking them, use a wooden skewer or a toothpick. This will ensure that the hole is small enough to keep the brat from falling apart. However, this method can also make it difficult for your guests in general.
Especially children and elderly people who may not have steady hands due to arthritis or other conditions, to eat their sausages without breaking the casing and leaving bits of sausage exposed on their plates.
Do You Poke Brats with Cheese?
The cheese may come out of the brats after poking holes in them. It is entirely up to you if you want to risk losing the cheese inside for a crispier brat.Instead, do this. Put cheese on the brat after poking the holes in it.
It helps the cheese melt faster and more evenly (because cheese loves to spread out), which means your brat will have a more even distribution of cheese, so you don’t have to worry about getting any dry spots or cold spots in your bite.
It also allows the juice from your brat to seep out into the rest of the meat, which means that when the brat hits your mouth, you’re getting all those delicious juices inside of you instead of just outside on the surface.
It ensures that all your brats are perfectly cooked throughout (instead of just having some parts raw and some parts burned). So no matter where you bite into your brat, it will be uniformly cooked, which is what you want!
Final Thoughts Should You Poke Holes In Brats Before Cooking
It is completely up to you whether you should poke holes in brats before cooking. Some prefer not to, and some do. Either way, it’ll still be delicious when you put it on a bun with your favorite toppings!
