Michael Symon's Bratwurst Boot Camp

Chewed UP

Chef Michael Symon joins hosts Carla Hall and Clinton Kelly to demonstrate the essential two-step technique for cooking perfect bratwurst. T

Key takeaways

• Poaching sausages in liquid like beer, stock, or sauerkraut before grilling prevents the casing from splitting and ensures juiciness.
• Michael Symon maintains a strict culinary rule against using ketchup on bratwurst or any encased sausage.
• The hosts highlight Cleveland Kitchens sauerkraut as a premium, probiotic-rich option for poaching meats.
• A grocery price guessing game illustrates the rising cost of staples like Oreos, Brussels sprouts, and beef franks.
• Different types of sausages, including kielbasa and Italian varieties, can be customized with various poaching liquids.

Main topics

• Bratwurst cooking techniques
• Grocery price inflation
• Regional food culture

Notable quotes

If you put ketchup on your bratwurst or sausage sandwich, I will hunt you down and find you.

Conclusion

An entertaining blend of practical kitchen tips and lighthearted food

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) That's like, remember the other day when we tasted the canned tomato sauce that only had like a half a gram of sugar and something in it? We're like, whoa, all of us, whoa, Speaker 4 (0:09) this is Speaker 2 (0:10) terrible. Oh, this is awful. Speaker 4 (0:12) That's true. But Speaker 2 (0:13) that has like a tenth of as much sugar that's in ketchup. Speaker 4 (0:17) Carla, I'll get off Speaker 2 (0:18) my lawn. Speaker 4 (0:18) He's hitting people. He's Speaker 2 (0:19) hitting Speaker 4 (0:19) people today. Speaker 2 (0:20) Get off my lawn. I won't hit Carla. Speaker 1 (0:26) Pull up a chair and get ready for a good time with Michael Simon, Carla Hall, and Clinton Kelly. Let's get into it. Speaker 4 (0:39) Hey everybody, it is officially Oktoberfest! That means pretzel, beer, football weekends, and grills that are still working overtime. Hey, we are gonna be doing, Michael Simon, you're gonna be doing bratwurst 101. Yeah, Speaker 2 (0:55) a little sausage 101. Sausage class. Speaker 4 (0:57) Sausage 101, but before we get to that, I understand that you were playing a game when I wasn't here. Like, the price is right? Dude, do you know how much I love The Price is Right? Do you know how much I love a game? I Speaker 3 (1:09) love a game. I love The Price is Right, too. Sometimes if I'm, like, at home doing work from home, I'll take a little lunch break around Price is Right time, and I'll watch. Speaker 4 (1:17) Oh, by the way, you're watching Shoot Up. I'm Carla Hull, this is Clinton Kelly, and that is Michael Simon. I was so excited about our game, I didn't even tell you what you were watching. So, welcome. Speaker 2 (1:26) You know, do you know who the host is of Price is Right? Truth Barry. Yes, Speaker 3 (1:30) he's from Cleveland. Speaker 2 (1:32) What's your other favorite show, Carla? Family Feud family to you know the hostess of family feud huh? Speaker 4 (1:38) Yeah, Speaker 2 (1:39) you know where he's from Cleveland. I'm saying Speaker 2 (1:44) You want to be a big-time game show host? Only one city you could be from, Cleveland, Ohio. Boom. Okay, Speaker 4 (1:50) well, let's see how the Clevelanders do. I didn't say I could Speaker 2 (1:54) play the game, but I could host it. Speaker 4 (1:56) Oh, Speaker 3 (1:56) what is that? Don't hate the player, hate the game. I'm terrible at it, too. Speaker 4 (2:02) I'm terrible, too. Speaker 3 (2:02) You and I played this by ourselves? Allison was the guest. Oh, that's right. It's all coming back to me. Oh, and we should thank Fresh Direct for providing us with the groceries. Thank you, Fresh Direct. Thank Speaker 4 (2:13) you, Fresh Speaker 3 (2:13) Direct. Speaker 4 (2:13) I tell you thank you because we're trying, I mean, I think what this game is really important is to drive home how much things really cost, which is how much you think they cost. Also, when I go to the store, sometimes I don't always look at the prices. I just like what I want to get and throw it in. And then I get there and I'm like, why can I carry out a whole bag of groceries with one finger? You know what I mean? And why Speaker 2 (2:33) was it $160? Yeah. I know. Groceries are crazy right now. Let's play. Speaker 3 (2:38) Let's play. We're starting with Double Stuff Oreos. Okay. And this seems like a, this is a family size. Yeah, I'll hold it up. I'll be the model. Speaker 2 (2:48) Okay. Speaker 3 (2:49) And Speaker 2 (2:50) it is... Well, Speaker 3 (2:50) I Speaker 2 (2:50) gotta ask, Clinton Kelly, what is the last time you bought a pack of double-stuffed Oreos? Probably 30 years ago. Speaker 3 (2:57) No idea how much this costs. I'm gonna guess $17. Wow. You know, it's so Speaker 4 (3:06) funny that you're saying this. So this is a pound of Oreos. Back in the 90s when I was in France, I didn't like Oreos. I don't like chocolate cookies. But it was only there that I bought them. I went to the American grocery store and I would get Oreos because for whatever reason, when I was there, it was like the quintessential, like, taste of home. Yeah, you Speaker 2 (3:24) needed a Kinect. Speaker 4 (3:25) Yes, I needed a Kinect. And the Kinect back then was $10 a bag. They were $10. In Paris? Yeah, because they increased the price. You know, they're probably $20 now. But I'm gonna say... So the Speaker 3 (3:38) rules are whoever comes closest without going over. Right. Speaker 4 (3:42) And I will say, eh. Speaker 2 (3:43) Oh, so this is like we're in the row trying to get on the big stage. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Got it. All right. Okay. I understand. You go Speaker 3 (3:50) first Speaker 2 (3:50) this time. All Speaker 4 (3:51) right. So double stuffed Oreos, one pound package. I'm gonna say they are $3.29. I'm Speaker 2 (3:58) gonna play the fans while you're doing it. Speaker 4 (3:59) Higher! Speaker 3 (4:00) Lower! Speaker 4 (4:01) Higher! Speaker 1 (4:02) Lower! Speaker 2 (4:03) Don't do that. Speaker 3 (4:06) Lower! I did that because he's been threatening to smack me in the dick with a spatula all day today. Speaker 2 (4:17) I Speaker 3 (4:17) never did such a thing. You did. You've been walking around. Speaker 2 (4:22) He's doing the tap. He's like... I want to be clear to everybody at home. He started it. Okay, go on. Okay, all right. Three. Right in the ding ding. Speaker 4 (4:35) Right. Speaker 2 (4:36) Oh, okay. That is true. Speaker 3 (4:37) It does. We're in New York City, New Jersey. New York Speaker 4 (4:39) prices. Speaker 3 (4:39) New York prices? I didn't realize that Oreos fluctuated. I feel like Oreos would be something. New York, New Jersey, everything's more expensive. I'm going to say, what did you say? I said $3.29. I'm going to say $5.49. Speaker 2 (4:50) You said 549 yeah, I'm gonna say 550 yeah Wow Speaker 4 (4:55) They need Michael Wayne's but it is 660 Speaker 2 (4:59) 96 Speaker 3 (4:59) 69. I Speaker 4 (5:01) was thinking what one Speaker 2 (5:03) Michael Speaker 3 (5:04) oh Am I just Speaker 4 (5:12) showcase Speaker 3 (5:12) showdown yet Speaker 4 (5:14) Michael won. Now Speaker 3 (5:16) we have a 10-pack of Oscar Mayer Beef Franks. Classic. So 10-pack. I go first this time. Yes. So Michael can't do the one cent more bullshit on me. Okay. Whatever. I'm going to say this is $7.12. Is that Speaker 2 (5:33) a lot? Clinton Thicke, what brand of weenies is this? Oscar Mayer. $7.12. Max? Yeah, you're next. I am going to say $6.29. Speaker 4 (5:43) Uh, they're Oscar Mayer. I'm gonna say $525. Speaker 3 (5:49) Okay. Speaker 4 (5:49) Michael's right again. It was another Just Fluke $669. Speaker 2 (5:54) What?! What do you mean, Just Speaker 3 (5:55) Fluke? Speaker 1 (5:56) No, I mean, the price is actually Speaker 3 (5:58) the same. It's the same as the other one. What?! Speaker 3 (6:06) Yeah, you're right. You get to Speaker 2 (6:07) take these home. You Speaker 4 (6:08) get to take those home. Speaker 2 (6:09) Great. Speaker 4 (6:10) Yeah. Yeah, you get to. Those Speaker 3 (6:12) are yours. Speaker 2 (6:13) Oh, whatever. Don't act like you guys didn't want to win. I Speaker 4 (6:15) wanted to win. I always want to win. Speaker 3 (6:18) We have, this is one pound of Brussels sprouts. I Speaker 4 (6:22) have no idea. By Speaker 3 (6:22) Ocean Mist Farms. Product of the USA. Michael, you go first. Speaker 2 (6:28) One pound of Brussels sprouts from Ocean Mist Farms. I'm going to say $3.29, Drew. Speaker 4 (6:34) I'm gonna say 350. Speaker 3 (6:37) I'm gonna say 351. He might have got this one. Speaker 4 (6:42) But Speaker 2 (6:42) it didn't get to that. It's $5.19. Speaker 3 (6:44) Nice! I get the Brussels sprouts. Going Speaker 4 (6:47) home Speaker 3 (6:47) with those. Okay. Speaker 4 (6:48) That's expensive! Speaker 2 (6:50) Carla has never shopped. Speaker 3 (6:53) And Speaker 2 (6:53) she doesn't do her dishes. Matthew does basically everything at home, except eat most things. Yeah, Speaker 4 (7:00) he does the laundry, too. These Speaker 2 (7:02) are Speaker 3 (7:02) Cheez-Its Snapped Double Cheese Baked Hot Fried Chips. Oh. Speaker 3 (7:09) Oh, yeah. Big, big brown. I feel it. How many, how many, what's the weight on that? 7.5. Speaker 4 (7:14) 7 Speaker 3 (7:14) .5 ounces. Speaker 4 (7:15) Okay. Speaker 3 (7:16) Carla, you lead. Speaker 4 (7:18) $100. I'm going to say they are $549. Speaker 3 (7:26) I'm gonna say they're $6.49. I'm Speaker 2 (7:28) gonna say Speaker 3 (7:28) they are $5 Speaker 2 (7:30) .99. Speaker 4 (7:31) Carla got Speaker 3 (7:32) it exactly right Speaker 2 (7:33) at $5.49. Whoa! You get them. Oh, my Speaker 3 (7:37) God. I've never had them. First of all, Speaker 4 (7:39) what have I been talking about lately? I've been talking about Cheez-Its with the Coors. I've been online stalking. I'm trying to buy some myself. Okay, great. Awesome. Speaker 3 (7:49) Thank Speaker 4 (7:50) you, Pop. Speaker 3 (7:51) Okay, next we have a can of organic pumpkin puree by Farmer's Market. Net weight 15, I think that says 15 ounces, yeah. One can of pumpkin puree. That's just to me. I'm going to say $2.49. I'm Speaker 2 (8:09) going to say $3.19, Drew. Speaker 4 (8:12) I'm going to say, ooh, it's $2.99. Speaker 4 (8:18) Michael's closest is 475. Speaker 3 (8:21) Oh, wow. What is that? Speaker 2 (8:23) Here's one thing that I know that's going to happen. I won because I have three, one and one, and there's only one product left. So if we're going to decide who the winner is, it's the big dog. Speaker 3 (8:41) Now we have two sweet potatoes that I'm used to smack Michael Simon in the Speaker 2 (8:45) head. Just because you Speaker 3 (8:46) guys... He makes me so mad! Yeah, you know, lose gracefully. Is this a pound of sweet potatoes? What is this? Speaker 2 (8:53) We're going by the Speaker 4 (8:54) pounds. Speaker 3 (8:55) Oh, we're going by the pounds. One pound of sweet potatoes. Speaker 3 (8:59) It's Speaker 2 (9:00) you first. Oh, I lead off one pound of sweet potatoes. I am going to say they are $3.99, Drew. Oh, my Speaker 4 (9:06) God. That's what I was going to say. I'm going to go with $3.79. Speaker 3