Eggplant brats with peppers and onions

Brats cooked in beer and onions then finished on a grill was a thing for me once. It was a dish I would make on Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Labor Day! It occurred to me that Japanese eggplants might be just as good with a little work. These turned out great!
These are best cooked on an outdoor grill with smoking chips but a grill pan and smoking gun will work as well!
Print Recipe
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Marinate30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Servings4
AuthorSnap Pea Sheep

Equipment

  • Grill or grill pan
  • Smoking gun (optional)

Ingredients

  • 4 Japanese Eggplants Purchase enough to yield four 6" to 8" pieces of uniform size.
  • 2 Anaheim peppers
  • 2 Jalapeños
  • 1 Red bell pepper
  • 1 recipe Sausage Seasoning
  • 1 12 oz Dark beer I use Shiner Bock
  • Mustard of choice
  • 4 Sub rolls or hotdog buns

Beer braised onions and garlic

  • 2 Vidalia onions
  • 1 Whole garlic head Elephant garlic if possible
  • 1 12 oz Dark beer I use Shiner Bock
  • 1/2 Tsp Hickory salt May substitute regular salt and 2 tbsp liquid smoke.
  • 1/2 Tsp Coarse black pepper
  • 1/2 Tsp Sausage Seasoning For garlic spread.
  • 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt May substitute vegan mayo, cashew cream of silken tofu.

Sausage Seasoning

  • 1 Tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Fennel seed
  • 1/2 Tsp Aleppo pepper Add more if desired
  • 1 Tsp Hickory salt
  • 1/2 Tsp Coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 Tsp Mushroom Unami This is a Trader Joe's seasoning. May substitute mushroom powder or omit.
  • 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/4 Tsp Ground cardamom
  • 1/4 Tsp Ground allspice

Instructions

  • Prepare your onions and garlic for the oven. Set aside.
  • Prepare your sausage seasoning.
  • Wash eggplants well as the skins will not be removed.
  • Remove ends from eggplants. Cut the eggplants into 6" to 8" long pieces (to fit the rolls). Use a skewer to drill 2 holes lengthwise through the eggplants.
  • Make marinade with one bottle of beer and 2 tsp of sausage seasoning. Place eggplants and marinade in a zip lock bag and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • If not using an outdoor grill, use a smoking gun to impart smoke flavor. You may need to reapply smoke after 15 minutes.
  • If using an outdoor grill, load your chip pan with hickory chips.
  • Remove eggplants from marinade. Place on hot grill to get grill marks. Once the grill marks are present, you will want to cook them a little slower until cooked through. (20-30 minutes until soft but not mushy).
    If using the outdoor grill, move eggplants to the top rack or away from open flame to allow them to cook through.
    If using a grill pan, Place into the oven to cook through. They can be cooked along with the onions if convenient.
  • Grill peppers to get grill marks and cook through until they are just getting soft.
  • Toast the buns.
  • Spread the garlic-yogurt spread on the bottom of each bun.
  • Drain beer from the onions and put several spoonful's on each bun.
  • Remove eggplant from heat and dip them back into the marinade liquid. Sprinkle brats with remaining sausage seasoning.
  • Add a "brat" to each bun. Top with mustard and peppers.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Beer braised onions and garlic

  • Remove onion skins, slice off top and bottom. Cut onion from top to bottom to make 1/8" slices. Place in a shallow baking dish.
  • Slice off the top of a whole garlic head, place in shallow baking dish with the onions.
  • Sprinkle with hickory salt and pepper
  • Pour beer into the baking dish, make sure the garlic gets wet from the beer.
  • Braise onions for 35 minutes at 375°F.
  • Remove garlic from the skins and place into a bowl.
  • Add 1/2 Tsp sausage seasoning to the garlic.
  • Mash garlic with yogurt to create a spread.

Sausage Seasoning

  • Add ingredients together. Place in a jar with a lid.

Notes

Used logo
This is a Snap Pea Sheep recipe.
 
Japanese eggplants are long and slender. I do not believe they are GMO like the globe eggplants. (I find it impossible to find organic Japanese eggplants). I suppose regular globe eggplants could be sliced into quarters lengthwise but they wouldn't be shaped like a bratwurst. 
This sounds like a lot going on but the eggplant and onions can cook at the same time. Most of the clock time is in the marinade.
The cooking time depends on the eggplant, your grill method and the temperature of your grill. You want to be able to put a fork in it easily but still hold it's shape. 
Considering beer brats usually boil for several hours before grilling, this recipe takes far less time. 
Although I have not tried it, zucchini or carrots might be a good substitute for the eggplants. 
 
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