Oktoberfest Sliders

The air is getting cooler at night, and the thought of fall celebrations is on my mind. Having lived in Wisconsin for nearly 20 years, to me, fall means Oktoberfest gatherings with tables of foods. This year may look a little different, but crisp air, soft pretzels and brats with kraut are all a perfect accompaniment to a frosty lager for any Oktoberfest occasion.

Here is my recipe for bratwurst sliders on pretzel buns! Video following.

Pretzel Buns:

1c. Warm Water

1/4 oz yeast (One Packet)

2c. Flour

1-2 tsps. Sugar (To Taste)

1-2 tsps. Kosher Salt (To Taste)

Dissolve the yeast in the water and allow to rest for 5 minutes. While resting, combine flour salt and sugar. Add yeast with water and stir until clumpy and sticky. Knead, adding more flour as needed until the dough is soft and stretchy, about 5 minutes.

Allow to rise in a covered bowl for 45 min- 1 hour.

The dough should be slightly sticky and elastic-like. If you poke a finger into the dough, it should bounce back. Allow to rest up to an hour.

Sliders:

4-5 Bratwurst links or ground meat

1-2 tsp. Ground Mustard

1-2 tsp. Ground Garlic

1/3 c. Sauteed Onions and Red Peppers, or your preferred vegetables

Remove the skins of the bratwurst and add ingredients together in a bowl. Portion into patties about 3″ round.

Remove sausage casing from bratwurst and blend with spices and sauteed vegetables before forming patties.

Finish Buns:

Portions the dough into 3pz. buns (recipe makes 6). Allow the buns to rest while bringing a pot of water to a gentle boil. Add 1 Tbsp. Baking Soda to water and wait for bubbling to subside. Flatten each dough ball before boiling for 1 minute.

Flatten each dough ball slightly before boiling for one minute. Drain each bun and place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Boil each flattened bun for one minute, turning over to boil both sides. Drain each and place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cut a shallow “X” into to the tops of the buns (score them).