Instant Pot Brats

This is how to make Instant Pot brats with beer and sauerkraut that taste amazing! Easy way to steam bratwurst frozen or fresh links in pressure cooker or Ninja Foodi sausage turns out tender for dinner.

If you love your pressure cooker and steaming in your Instant Pot, this easy brats recipe is for your family! It’s one of my husband’s favorite Instant Pot recipes because it is a fast one pot meal with 1 ingredient.

Every time I eat one of these and hear that “snap” when I bite in I think of Oktoberfest with my Grandpa. It was the classic German dinner served with a killer mustard sauce and once it was gone I aimed to make it for my kids often so I could talk about that memory.

I tried it lots of ways but steamed bratwurst under pressure allowed each one to absorb the flavors of the beer which was spot on what it “should taste like” so we have never done it any way ever again. Topped with quick sauerkraut it is just where it is at!

What beer is best for brats?

I am not a connoisseur at all so I usually just grab what I have in the fridge to make beer bread etc… Enjoying a light flavor I tend to veer away from dark brands like Guinness but others swear by that. It is totally up to you depending on your taste buds, use your favorite I say.

How long do bratwurst take to steam?

5 minutes is usually perfect if using uncooked pork sausages straight out of the package. If precooked it would be closer to 2 depending on their thickness. It is important to check the temperature inside (since they do start out raw and must reach 160F to be safe), same as Smoked brats.

How Long to Cook Frozen Brats in Instant Pot

Whether your links are frozen or fresh will not change the cook time (believe it or not that is true). When cooking links rock hard like this, Frozen Sausage in Air Fryer, or thawed it is really handy to put them in a basket so the heat can rotate all the way around each piece.

Recipe Tips

You can put the brats directly in the liquid, beer, but I find they keep their snap and don’t get as soft if I use a steamer basket so I usually go that route but totally up to you.

Vegetable steamer works well to keep them out of the liquid below. Set inside your pressure cooker you can fit 4 comfortably but really they can be stacked in two layers and it won’t make much of a difference. I don’t know that I would add more than 8.

Variations

It is totally up to you whether you want to make your own sauerkraut or buy it ready made in the store, either way these taste delicious. I had some ready made small french style rolls just the right size for sausages in my freezer so I used those this time but you could use hot dog buns or hoagie style rolls too….or go bunless!

Yes you can make Crockpot Brats in a few hours but we are all about fast meals. And you actually get a much better texture when your links are in a basket vs. sitting in the liquid as you can imagine.

Instant Pot Bangers and Mash (Option)

Put 6 washed, partially peeled and diced potatoes into pot with 1/2 c. broth. Place 5-6 frozen or defrosted brats and/or sausages right on top of them. Close lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 6 minutes with a 3 minute natural pressure release. Then release rest of steam. Remove brats and set aside to keep warm.

Use potato masher in pot to mash potatoes then add fixin’s like: 1/2 c sour cream, 1/4 c. bacon bits, chives, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 1/4 c. shredded cheese, pinch of pepper, and thin mixture with as much milk as you desire.

How to Crisp

If you want to crisp outsides you can put into an air fryer or make as a Ninja Foodi recipe at 400 degrees F for a few minutes, under the broiler, or sear outsides in a pan on your stovetop.

If you have only made Instant Pot hot dogs for the kids I suggest that you try these one night instead. They are much larger and a heartier meal than weiners for sure.