Guinness-braised Brats and Broccoli-topped Baked Potatoes

A seasonal topping for a St Patrick's day supper, this simple meal consists of sausages braised in Stout coupled with fresh broccoli and a baked potato, covered in cheese.

 Follow me | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook

I made this as a simple 'use what we've got from the fridge/pantry' supper.  As I thought more about what I wanted to write for March/St Patrick's day I realized this simple meal would make an excellent alternative to a more traditional bill of fare.  I mean, I love corned beef and cabbage, especially in the form of New England Boiled Dinner, but I dislike eating it when the marketing hype tells me to do so.  Don't get me wrong--in March I love to buy cabbage and potatoes on sale, and at the end of the post I'll share some other cabbage recipes--I just don't like being told when to eat things.

If you want to go rogue for St Patrick's day (heck, I'm not even Irish) join me.  This starts, as do all good Irish tales, with a bottle of Guinness.  I confess the only time I've actually relished a glass of Guinness was in a pub in Ireland--possibly in Baltimore but I'm not 100% sure which town, though of my time in Ireland, Baltimore and the Dingle peninsula was my favorite area.

For more recipes using broccoli, please see my Broccoli Recipes Collection. For more recipes using potatoes, please see my Potato Recipes Collection. These collections are part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me scrambling around in March trying to keep eating seasonally and locally and running out of fresh food and freezer inspiration.

I'm sharing more recipes on Pinterest, follow me there. If you like good reads, I share articles that catch my eye on my Facebook page, follow me there. If you like a good peek behind the scenes as much as I do, follow me on Instagram. Want to know How to Use This Blog?


Note--I microwaved my broccoli.  I probably should have roasted it, seeing as I had the oven on anyway, but this post on roasting broccoli wasn't on my mental radar screen.

Final note--do you like crispy baked potato skins with creamy potato insides?  Alyssa has a tutorial for Perfect Baked Potatoes at Everyday Maven.  Do check it out.

Guinness-braised Brats and Broccoli-topped Baked Potatoes (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and poked with a fork several times
• 2-4 links bratwurst of your choice
• 1 cup Guinness Extra Stout
• 2-3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  
2. Place potatoes on rack and bake until they give when you reach your OveGloved hand in and squeeze them, about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the potatoes. 
3. After the potatoes have been baking for about half an hour, place 1 cup Guinness in a skillet and add bratwurst links (1 per person or less if you prefer to eat less meat per meal).  
4. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until fully cooked. 
5. Drain skillet, chop bratwurst into bite-sized pieces, and return to skillet to crisp up, another 5 minutes. Set aside. 
6. Cook broccoli (I nuked mine on High power for 3 minutes with a splash of water, but as I wrote above I think roasting would be an excellent idea too).
7. To assemble, fill the baked potato with brats and broccoli and top with cheese.  Serve with additional Guinness if you're old enough to drink it.

Other recipes using cabbage and/or potatoes which would work for an alternate St Patrick's day:

Breakfast Salad

Back Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Skillet

Tremendously Green Pizza

Simple Sautéed Cabbage

This post is shared with What's Cookin' Wednesday, Fresh Foods Wednesday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Simple Supper Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays, From the Farm Blog Hop, Food on Friday