Category: Sausage

Chipotle Cheddar Brats

2/5/2026

Chipotle Cheddar Brats, Fully Loaded
With Chili, Jalapeños, and a Cold Sun Drop on the Side
Some grill nights are calm.
This is not one of those grill nights.
This is the kind of cookout where the brats come off the grill already confident, get piled high with toppings, and immediately require napkins, commitment, and a beverage that understands what just happened.
Enter the Chipotle Cheddar Brat — smoky, cheesy, spicy, and unapologetically bold —

loaded with chili beans, chipotle sauce, red onions, and jalapeños until they’re barely holding it together.
And yes… you’re going to want a cold Sun Drop Soda Pop nearby. Trust us.

Why These Brats Deserve Extra Attention
Chipotle Cheddar Brats already bring the heat and the cheese. That alone would be enough for most people. But we’re not most people — this is Midwest Grill’n, and we believe if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it all the way.
The toppings don’t just sit on top — they melt, mingle, and turn each brat into a full-on meal. Every bite hits a little differently, and that’s exactly the point.
This is not a “grab one and walk away” situation.
This is a stand-there-and-focus brat.

What You’ll Need (No Apologies)
The Brats

Chipotle Cheddar Brats
Buns (sturdy ones — soft buns will wave the white flag)

The Load-Up

1 cup chili beans
1 cup chipotle sauce
1 cup red onions, diced
1 cup jalapeños, sliced

And yes — that’s a full cup of each. Measure with confidence.

How to Grill Them Like a Pro (Without Losing Your Toppings)

Preheat the Pit Boss Grill and get it ready for action.
Grill the Chipotle Cheddar Brats until they reach an internal temperature of 140°F, turning occasionally so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
Once the brats hit temp, it’s time for the magic:
- Spoon chili beans right onto the brats
- Drizzle with chipotle sauce
- Pile on red onions
- Finish with jalapeños like you mean it
Close the grill lid and let everything heat through until the toppings are hot, the cheese inside the brat is living its best life, and the whole thing looks just a little unmanageable.
Carefully transfer to buns and serve immediately.

This is not a “wait five minutes” brat.
This is a right now brat.

The Role of Sun Drop (This Matters)
Let’s talk beverages.
When you build a brat this bold — smoky, spicy, cheesy, and loaded — you need something on the side that can keep up without getting lost.
That’s where Sun Drop Soda Pop shines.

The crisp citrus bite cuts through the richness, cools the heat, and resets your palate so you’re ready for the next bite. It’s refreshing, it’s nostalgic, and it belongs at the grill just as much as the brats do.
Cold brat.
Hot toppings.
Ice-cold Sun Drop.
That’s balance.

What to Expect When You Serve These

People will pause mid-bite
Someone will say, “Okay, that’s really good”
Napkins will disappear faster than expected
Seconds will be requested
Plain brats will feel deeply inadequate

These brats don’t whisper. They announce themselves.

Midwest Grill’n Truth
If your brat needs both hands and a drink nearby, you did it right.
These Chipotle Cheddar Brats are perfect for:

backyard cookouts
game days
tailgates
or anytime you want to remind people why grilling is better when it’s a little messy

Just make sure the Sun Drop is cold — because these brats bring the heat.

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Pepper Onion Brats: A Midwest Flavor Bomb Straight from the Grill

7/4/2025

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Buckle up, brat lovers. We’re turning the humble bratwurst into a full-blown symphony of grilled perfection, featuring peppers, onions, kraut, and just enough beer to make you feel like you’ve got Packers season tickets. It’s sweet. It’s tangy. It’s a buttery, beer-soaked brat bath that could bring a grown Wisconsinite to tears.
And best of all? It’s cooked the way it was meant to be—on a Pit Boss grill, where flavor gets serious and the heat never backs down.

🧄 Ingredients:
Get your shopping list ready. This one’s simple, bold, and built for the backyard.

Brats (the good kind—bonus points if they’re local)
1 cup red pepper sticks
1 cup orange pepper sticks
1 large sliced onion
1 jar diced tomatoes (with juice—don't skimp)
1 cup sauerkraut
2 sticks of butter (yes, two)
A sprinkle of caraway seeds (don’t fear the flavor)
A good splash of Isotropic Ale or your favorite beer

Not a beer fan? Use a splash of citrus soda instead—like Sun Drop, baby!

🥘 Directions:
This one’s as easy as forgetting where you put the tongs—just toss it all in and let the grill do the magic.

Grab a cast iron roaster and show it who's boss.
Toss in the sliced peppers, onion, tomatoes, kraut, and butter. Sprinkle in those caraway seeds with wild abandon.
Nestle the brats into that glorious mess like they’re getting tucked in for a nap.
Pour in your Isotropic Ale (or Sun Drop!) until everything's swimming in flavor.
Set it on your Pit Boss grill and let it cook low and slow until the brats are plump, juicy, and bathed in buttery beer glory.

Pro tip: Slice the brats halfway through the cook for more flavor infusion. Or don’t. We’re not your mom.

🍽️ How to Serve It:
Pile those brats high in a toasted bun and ladle on that peppery-oniony-kraut goodness. Serve with chips, deli salad, baked beans, or whatever your backyard buffet dreams are made of.
Knife work involved? You know we used Rebex Cutlery—because only a Rebex blade slices clean through sizzling brat and kraut without the ol’ slip-and-fling.
Use promo code GRILL15 for 15% off your entire order at Rebex Cutlery!

💡 Grill’n Wisdom:

Butter isn’t optional. It’s the soul of this recipe.
The sauerkraut and caraway combo makes this dish feel like Oktoberfest in your backyard.
Grilling it all in a cast iron roaster locks in flavor and delivers the perfect brat bath. If you’re not drooling yet, read it again slower.
Got leftovers? Chop it all up and toss it on a pizza. You’re welcome.

🔥 Final Sizzle
These Pepper Onion Brats aren’t just food—they’re a Midwest state of mind. They’re smoky. They’re buttery. They’re bold. They’re the kind of meal that makes neighbors mysteriously show up right around dinnertime.
So fire up your Pit Boss, grab your favorite drink (we recommend Sun Drop or something hoppy), and bring the family together for a brat bath you’ll be dreaming about until next weekend.

Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n—bringing buttered brat brilliance to your backyard one sizzling cast iron roaster at a time.
Want more flavor-packed chaos like this?
👉 Join the Grill’n Club for free recipes, bonus content, and a lifetime of grill glory.
👉 Visit our Online Store for sauces, seasonings, and gear.
👉 Find us in local stores, at festivals, or wherever the smell of brats fills the air.

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Sausage & Peppers on the Grill: A Spicy, Sizzling Crowd-Pleaser

6/3/2025

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Fire up that Pit Boss, friends—it’s time to make your backyard smell like a tailgate party collided with a pepper patch in the best way possible.

This Sausage & Peppers recipe is one of our go-tos when we’re feeding a hungry crowd, testing the limits of our spice tolerance, or just want to hear someone yell “WHAT SMELLS AMAZING?!” from across the block.
You bring the sausage—we’ll bring the swagger.

What You’ll Need:

2 lbs Spicy Italian Sausage – get ‘em sizzling
2 cups Sweet Yellow Peppers – color + contrast
2 cups Spanish Onions – thick slices for big flavor
2 cups Red Peppers – for that sweet heat balance
4 Green Peppers – because we’re not here to mess around
1 cup Banana Peppers – tangy, spicy, and just enough chaos
1 cup Ripe Green Olives – salty little surprises
1 cup Sliced Pepperoni – yep, double meat. We said what we said.
1 Lemon, squeezed – for a citrus kick that wakes it all up

Mix everything together like a mad scientist of meat and veggies. Pour in a generous splash of our Sausage Brine (recipe here) and get that pan grill-ready.

Grilling Directions:

Preheat your Pit Boss Grill to 350°F
Place your mixed masterpiece in a grill-safe pan
Set it on the grill, lid closed, and let the magic happen
Stir occasionally while you breathe in that glorious steam cloud of spicy perfection
Cook until the sausages are juicy, the veggies are soft, and everything’s swimming in flavor

Sponsor Shout-Outs:
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – The firepower behind every sizzle
🔪 Rebex Cutlery – Slicing peppers like a pro
🌶️ Wisconsin State Agricultural Tourism Association – Bringing the freshest produce to your plate
🥤 Sun Drop – Sip it while you grill it—extra citrus, always welcome

Want to Level It Up?
Serve your Sausage & Peppers over a toasted hoagie roll.
Or spoon it over Wisconsin Potatoes (yes, those potatoes).
Or just eat it straight out of the pan with your best grillin’ fork like a true Midwest warrior.
No judgment. Just flavor.

Sausage Brine Recipe Coming Soon!
We’ll be posting the full brine breakdown in the next blog—stay tuned. Spoiler alert: it’s tangy, savory, and secretly magical.

Final Thoughts:
Whether you’re cooking for the crew, the family, or just yourself on a Saturday (no shame), this recipe brings serious heat, bold flavor, and peak grill master energy. It’s sausage. It’s peppers. It’s sizzling.
It’s Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n

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Apricot Sausage

3/6/2025

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Ingredients

1 lb Andouille Sausage
1 lb Polish Sausage
2 C Sauerkraut
1 jar Apricot Preserves
1 can Apricots
1/2 C Bacon Bits

Directions

Place sausages on planks.
Mix remaining ingredients together.
Place mixture on top of sausages.
Grill until sausages are cooked through. About, 35 minutes

Apricot Sausage is a Mad Dog & Merrill® Original Recipe from Episode Twenty One of the 2021 Season of the Midwest Grill'n Show. Watch "West Allis" for this great recipe from America's Favorite Grill'n Show and More! Episode recipes include Kobe Beef, Bloody Mary Shrimp, Lemon Pork, Apricot Sausage, and Red Snapper Drink. Download the E-Book by visiting the Mad Dog & Merrill Online Store and become a Lifetime Member of the Mad Dog & Merrill® Grill'n Club to gain FREE access to all episode E-Books.

Mad Dog & Merrill® only endorse the highest quality of products and services.
What kind of grills do Mad Dog & Merrill® use? Our favorite grills include Pit Boss Pellet Grills and Louisiana Grills.
Where can the products used on the Midwest Grill'n show be found? Sun Drop Soda, Awesome Shrimp, and Wisconsin Potatoes.
Help us thank our sponsors by patronizing their local business, such as Shooting Star Casino.
Produced by Lashbro Visual Communications.

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Grill'n Meats

2/6/2025

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Ingredients

Directions

Gather an assortment of meats.
Grill for that perfect flavor.
Cut meats into bite sized portions and use in Midwest Chili.

Grill'n Meats is a Mad Dog & Merrill® Original Recipe from Episode Twenty of the 2021 Season of the Midwest Grill'n Show. Watch "Fiddlesticks" for this great recipe from America's Favorite Grill'n Show and More! Episode recipes include Bacon Trinity, Grill'n Meats, Midwest Chili, Grilled Garlic, Italian Corn, American Pie and Cherry Bombs. Download the E-Book by visiting the Mad Dog & Merrill Online Store and become a Lifetime Member of the Mad Dog & Merrill® Grill'n Club to gain FREE access to all episode E-Books.

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Chipotle Cheddar Brats

Pepper Onion Brats: A Midwest Flavor Bomb Straight from the Grill

Sausage & Peppers on the Grill: A Spicy, Sizzling Crowd-Pleaser

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