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Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

Air Fryer Beer Brats

Published: Oct 8, 2020 · Modified: Feb 1, 2023 by Ginny · This post may contain affiliate links.

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These tasty Air Fryer Beer Brats will quickly move its way into your monthly dinner rotation. They are quick, easy and taste amazing! I make them when I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but still want a fun meal! Beer brats on the table in under 30 minutes.

taking a bite out of the juicy bratwurst with the tray of beer brats in the background
Juicy and Delicious Air Fryer Beer Brats
Contents hide
1 Why This Recipe Works
2 🌭 Ingredients
3 🍽️ Cooking Instructions
4 💡Expert Tips
5 Recipe FAQs
6 Air Fryer Beer Brats

We often think of Beer Brats or Bratwurst as an Octoberfest or fall festival food that you only find during the autumn, but it is easy to make these any time of the year in just a few minutes with your Air Fryer.

Enjoy sinking your teeth into a huge brat that is nestled in a bun and dripping with peppers and onions anytime you want! Just a couple of easy steps will have you on your way. Beer Brats in the air fryer are just as tasty as on the grill.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Just 5 ingredients
  • Affordable
  • Easy
  • Tastes just like you pulled it off the grill
  • A quick dinner for the family or a crowd
ingredients on a wooden table with labels showing the brats, butter, onions and peppers and the beer
Simple Ingredients You Already Have In Your Kitchen

🌭 Ingredients 

Bratwurst – Bratwursts are long tubular sausages that are filled with veal, beef and pork that have a German origin.

Typically they are pan-fried or grilled, but we chose to Air Fry them this time for quick, easy and hands-off cooking. You will also see these labeled at “brats” or “beer brats” at the stores. 

Beer – Pick a beer that you like and have on hand. We used an IPA here and would just suggest to steer away from flavored beers.

Unless you are very adventurous, I am not sure how a Cherry Wheat or Pumpkin Lager Brat would taste! Maybe give it a shot and drop a note.

🍽️ Cooking Instructions 

This recipe is very flexible. Make the Onion/Pepper Mixture or skip it all together and just put the Bratwurst through the Air Fryer and add a side of your choice.

We show photos of it with the Onion/Pepper Mixture, with sauerkraut, and with a stone-ground mustard. Also, think of eating this alone without a bun to cut those carbs. 

three photos showing the marinating, the air frying and the topping of the brats
Simple Instructions for Delicious Brats!

Step One: Slice the onion and peppers. Add butter to a skillet and turn heat to medium high. 

Step Two: Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and cook for 10-12 minutes until they are caramelized and browned along the edges. Resist the temptation to move them too much during this process.

Once they are toasty brown, pour in four ounces of beer, stir well and allow it to evaporate. That took about 5-6 minutes.

Step Three: Marinate the beer brats in eight ounces of beer in a Ziplock bag for 30 minutes. This really takes it up a notch. Remove the brats and prepare the Air Fryer.

Step Four: Heat the Air Fryer to 360 degrees and place the brats in the basket or on the tray, depending on which version you have. Cook for 11-15 minutes. Check it early and often.

Turn them over halfway to make sure they are browning all the way around. Air Fryers vary by brand so check yours to gauge timing. 

Step Five: Remove them from the Air Fryer and place them in buns. Layer with pepper/onion mixture, plain mustard or sauerkraut.

💡Expert Tips 

Each Air Fryer cooks differently and you need to gauge yours when cooking anything new. That is the reason I always give a range for the time. Check early and often.

I repeat this as I want to make sure everyone knows that any Air Fryer recipe should be considered a “soft” time, no matter where you find the recipe. 

  • Beer brats/bratwurst can be fatty so make sure your Air Fryer is clean before making this recipe.
  • I did not experience any smoke when making them but I have heard of people that have. You can use the Air Fryer parchment paper if you need it. 
  • Any brand of brats work, feel free to do a cheddar brat or a seasonal brat to change up the flavor.
  • You can use any type of ale to soak your brats. Or if you don’t want the beer-soaked brats just cook them without marinading.

Tip: If you are cooking something that drips a lot, add a couple pieces of bread to the drip tray.  The bread will soak up the juices and you won’t need to worry about it smoking.  This is my favorite dirt cheap Air Fryer hack!

three beear brats in buns with different toppings
Three Ways to Top Your Air Fryer Beer Brats!

Recipe FAQs

How Do I Know Beer Brats Are Done?

Look for the Brats’ internal temperature to reach 160 degrees. That is when you know it is fully cooked. This is not a meal that you cook “medium.” 

Can I Marinade The Brats Longer In Beer?

You can marinate these longer but we aim for tasty meals for time-crunched families so we chose a lighter taste for time savings. 

Can I Stack Brats In An Air Fryer?

The key to any successful air fryer recipe is to ensure that the hot air can circulate all around your food. So, stacking would leave you with undercooked areas that don’t cook up the way you want. I recommend always batch cooking.

graphic showing the two pages of the air fryer cheat sheet printables.
FREE! Air Fryer Times and Temps Cheat Sheet

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Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

three brats on a small sheet pan. One is topped with onions and peppers, one has sauerkraut, and one has whole grain mustard

Air Fryer Beer Brats

Make this hearty meal that is packed with flavor in under 30 minutes! Beer brats nestled in a bun, layered with onions and peppers, sauerkraut or a simple mustard.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 44 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 305kcal
Author: Ginny

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • 5 Beer Brats bratwurst
  • 1 Onion sliced, we used sweet
  • 1 Yellow Pepper substitute a red or green as you like
  • 12 oz Beer we used an IPA, divided
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Onion/Pepper Mixture

  • Slice the onion and peppers. Add butter to the skillet and turn to medium high heat.
  • Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and cook for 10-12 minutes until they are caramelized and turning brown on the edges. Resist the temptation to move the onions and peppers too much during this process.
  • Once they are toasty brown, pour in 4 oz of beer, stir, and allow it to evaporate. This took me about 5-6 minutes.

Beer Brats

  • Marinade the brats in 8 oz of beer in a Ziplock bag for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the Air Fryer to 360 degrees and add the brats.
  • Remove the beer brats after 11-15 minutes. Turn them half way to make sure they are browning all the way around.
  • Place them in buns and layer with pepper/onion mixture, plain mustard or sauerkraut.

Notes

**Nutritional facts only include brats and onion/pepper/beer mixture and not a bun or sauerkraut. 
Each Air Fryer cooks different and you need to gauge your own when cooking anything new. That is the reason I always give a range of times. Check early and often. 
You can also make these “bun less” and just eat them straight with the toppings. 
Put bread under the brats so that if they drip juice it will soak up the grease. Or use parchment paper for the air fryer as well if you want. 
You can soak your Beer Brats a longer time in the beer if you would like. I just did a short marinade to help create a fast dinner idea. 
Make sure to batch cook if you are cooking up a bunch of brats, that way you get an even cook across the brats. 
You can use any brand of beer, I just recommend using an ale style beer. As a stout beer might overpower the flavor of the brats. 
Dress up your brats with any toppings you want, you can skip the peppers and onions if you would like. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1brat | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @savorandsavvy or tag #savorandsavvy!
Air Fryer Beer Brats
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About Ginny

Hi! My name is Ginny and I know how busy life can be! I am a mom working hard to prepare healthy meals for my family that is always on the go!

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Family Photo Hi! I'm Ginny and for over 30 years, I've been creating simple and easy recipes without sacrificing on taste for our family on the go. I can't wait to show you how to do the same for your family. Read More...

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