Questions about transporting Beer Brats

[jcliff]

I host an event on Wednesday of the Burn that normally has a wiener roast. I've purchased hot dogs from Reno in the past, but this year I am hoping to impart my Illinois heritage into the food. I need to feed about 80 people. My hope is to transport a cooler of frozen 1/4 lb. beef Chicago dogs and bratwurst. The dogs are a no-brainer, but the bratwurst add some complexity. To do it right, I would need to boil the brats in beer and onions before transport. So, I would boil them in Illinois, freeze them hard, and then transport them with the dogs in a cooler from Illinois on the Friday before. The onions from the boil are a necessary part of a good brat. Can I package the onions in Tupperware, freeze them hard, and then caramelize them on our kitchen stove top? We have a big grill, so could I package them in foil and then just throw the foil packets on the grill? Will boiled onions do ok with freezing and reheating? Anyone can chime in with suggestions, but if you are a fan of cased meats, even better!

[VultureChow]

Yes.

You could even caramelize them first and then freeze them.

The main concern with freezing vegetable is with raw. The cellular walls burst and they become limp. Since they'll already be cooked and limp, there should be no degradation of quality.

[Eric]

Just a quick "health check" - are you only feeding these to your camp, or will you be feeding them to the general public? If it's the general public, you need to have a food permit from the Nevada Health Department, and all foods would need to be prepared (cooked) on-playa so they could ensure food safety rules were followed. I don't think they'd allow you to serve food cooked in a home kitchen out of state to the general public. If that's the case, just bring raw onions & cook them on-playa in the beer with the brats. You could set it up to happen earlier in the day of your event so it has time to cook (make sure you take the altitude into consideration for boiling times)

[FlyingMonkey]

I host an event on Wednesday of the Burn that normally has a wiener roast. I've purchased hot dogs from Reno in the past, but this year I am hoping to impart my Illinois heritage into the food. I need to feed about 80 people. My hope is to transport a cooler of frozen 1/4 lb. beef Chicago dogs and bratwurst. The dogs are a no-brainer, but the bratwurst add some complexity. To do it right, I would need to boil the brats in beer and onions before transport. So, I would boil them in Illinois, freeze them hard, and then transport them with the dogs in a cooler from Illinois on the Friday before. The onions from the boil are a necessary part of a good brat. Can I package the onions in Tupperware, freeze them hard, and then caramelize them on our kitchen stove top? We have a big grill, so could I package them in foil and then just throw the foil packets on the grill? Will boiled onions do ok with freezing and reheating? Anyone can chime in with suggestions, but if you are a fan of cased meats, even better!

You have 2 months. Try it this weekend (You going to Lakes of Fire ?) & let us all know how it works out. I love the idea of having real beer brats on the Playa. The onions may not hold up after freezing(I'm thinking the texture of worms) so they may need to be redone on the grill there. Damn, now I'm hungry.

[jcliff]

Eric - great question! The dog and brat fest is only for my villagers that participate in our Noob/Veteran Scavenger Hunt. We set the grill area away from our village kitchen.

[VultureChow]

You have 2 months. Try it this weekend (You going to Lakes of Fire ?) & let us all know how it works out. I love the idea of having real beer brats on the Playa. The onions may not hold up after freezing(I'm thinking the texture of worms) so they may need to be redone on the grill there. Damn, now I'm hungry.

I am unfamiliar with the particulars of this particular midwestern tradition. What is the desired texture of the onions here, tender and soft and brown, or do they need a bit of a crunch?

[jcliff]

Cooked down and caramelized as a cased meat topping is the goal! No crunch needed. I will also have my homemade bacon bourbon jam, homemade dill relish, and a selection of Raye's of Maine artisan mustards for condiments. I also lived in Maine for a stretch.

[Fidget]

That sounds epic.
I just got seriously hungry reading this thread..