BBQ Kraut and Bratwurst Sliders with Beer Cheese Sauce
Food photography and recipe creation by Abby Mosler. Find her on Instagram @sweetrindandsalt
Ingredients
For the Sliders:
15 pretzel slider buns (or regular slider buns)
6 bratwurst or smoked kielbasa sausages, fully cooked
1 cup Frank’s Sweet & Smoky BBQ Kraut, drained
For the Beer Cheese Sauce:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup beer (pilsner, lager, or pale ales work great)
2 oz. cream cheese
2 oz. shredded sharp cheddar (about 1/2 cup)
2 oz. American cheese, chopped (about 4 slices)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. Dijon or other brown mustard
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. garlic powder, or to taste
¼ tsp. onion powder, or to taste
½ tsp. salt, or to taste
Pinch cayenne (optional)
Toothpicks for serving (optional)
Instructions
Instructions for the Beer Cheese Sauce:
- Heat a small or medium saucepan over low/medium heat. Melt the butter in the saucepan and then whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking often, for 5 minutes.
- Next, slowly pour the milk into the saucepan while whisking. Slowly pour the beer into the milk mixture and whisk. Raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a low boil.
- Once the mixture begins to bubble, add the cream cheese and whisk until melted and incorporated. Add the sharp cheddar and American cheese and whisk until everything is melted and fully incorporated.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and optional cayenne. Whisk everything together. Keep warm until ready to use, mixing occasionally.
Instructions for the sliders:
- Cut the bratwurst, on a diagonal, into about ½”-thick slices. Set aside.
- Heat a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Add the bratwurst slices, in a single layer, to the skillet. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until slightly browned. Set on a paper towel to absorb excess grease.
- Meanwhile, place the BBQ kraut in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for a few minutes, or until warm, stirring halfway through. Microwaves vary, but this should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Alternately, you can heat the kraut on the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.
- Build the Sliders:
- Place about 3 slices of bratwurst on the bottom bun of your slider. Top with about 1 heaping tablespoon of warm BBQ kraut. Top the kraut with a good dollop of the warm beer cheese sauce. Place the top bun on the cheese sauce and hold everything together with a toothpick, if desired.
- Serve immediately with extra beer cheese sauce for dipping.
