Boy are you all in for a super tasty, Sunday Funday Football treat!! These 3 Cheese Baby Bierocks with Brats, Bacon & Caraway may just be my best bierocks yet!

Recently, I had the unexpected pleasure to be chosen by Johnsonville® Sausage, to try out their Indoor Sizzling Sausage Grill! Not only did they send us the grill, but also some of their awesome sausages!! I was all too thrilled to participate in this event, but had no idea that someone else was just as excited as I was…!!

As I mentioned in my previous post, my hubby had been dreaming of one of these grills for quite some time, and I had no idea! He about flipped when I received their email, and so we were ALL IN!

We had been craving a good grilled J-Ville brat lately, but the weather has been historically horrific!!

And the clever grilling experts at Johnsonville® are also all too familiar with nasty weather, being located in Wisconsin! Winters in the midwest and the upper east coast are just brutal! So they brilliantly came up with quite an inventive electric tabletop grill that completely encases each sausage link, and cooks them to perfection, browning them on all sides!

And they designed it so that the cleanup is a snap! The two inside cooking plates pop right out, and can either be washed by hand, or go straight into the dishwasher! The drip tray also removes easily and is also dishwasher safe!

No more standing at the stove turning, and turning, and turning sausages in a pan, splattering grease everywhere, and not being able to multi-task because you’re stuck there.

After using this grill for the first time, I’m very happy to say that I have found this grill to be extremely handy in the kitchen! Like having a little helper while you get everything else done! It’s super simple to use, works exactly as promised, and the cleanup is a breeze!!

*Note that the first time that I used it, it smoked a little, but this time it didn’t. So just keep in mind that the first time you use it, even after pre-cleaning the cooking plates, you may get just a little smoking from the oils that the manufacturers use. After that, it won’t do that anymore.

My first recipe was a huge hit with not just us, but our neighbors, too! They graciously helped out by being my little guinea pigs for me, and gave my Grilled Sweet Italian Sausage, Balsamic Roasted Red Grape & Blue Cheese Crostini with Pecans four thumbs up!!

And I’m hopeful that everyone enjoys this next one just as much!

So let’s get started, I know you’re getting hungry!

To get this recipe going, we first thaw the bread dough rolls. I simply toss them into a sprayed 13×9 pan for this, spray the tops well, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let them thaw in the oven with the light on for 2 hours. So you’ll want to plan ahead for this part.

*Once the rolls are thawed, pop them into the fridge so that they don’t rise while you get everything else ready to go.

Next, it’s time to cook those heavenly brats! Just open the grill lid, and place the bratwursts into the sausage-shaped wells, close the lid, snap the red tab closed, and push the button! That’s all there is to it! It will beep when it’s done and automatically shut off for you!

Just open the lid, and remove the brats to a plate and cover them to rest and let the juices settle down, so that all that yumminess doesn’t run out when we go to slice them. Once they’re cooled a bit, slice them lengthwise into fourths, then slice crossways into small pieces.

While the brats are cooking, we simply sauté the cabbage and seasonings in a frying pan with butter and the rest of the cabbage ingredients until nice and tender.

I always like to use the mixed cabbage with the carrots for more flavor and sneak in extra veggies!

Then remove the pan from the heat, let cool down a little, then just stir in the bacon….

……the grilled and diced brats…..

…..and all that yummy cheese!!!

Next, get the oven preheated because we’re ready to rock!

Get your assembly line all set up to make things go quickly and easily.

So, to finish up, we just flatten a roll, put a little spoonful or swipe of mustard (any kind) into the very center….

….top with a small mound of sausage and cabbage filling…..

……then bring up sides over filling, pinch closed, and tuck under a little. Place seam side down onto a sprayed baking sheet, brush with egg white wash, and sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Continue with all of the rolls until all are filled. If you have extra rolls, you can bake them unfilled. If you have leftover filling, it goes wonderfully in an omelette!

No matter how it ends, it will all get eaten, so don’t sweat the small stuff.

Then just pop those babies into the oven and bake until golden!

Once they’re baked, remove to a cooling rack and let rest a few minutes before serving.

You can serve them with a little extra mustard for dipping if you’d like, but I find it a bit too strong and overpowering. So I like to whip up a batch of my Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, and that seems to go really well with this and not mask all of the wonderful flavors of the filling inside.

Most people like them best just as they are, though!

These appetizer-sized 3 Cheese Baby Bierocks with Brats, Bacon & Caraway are always a hit no matter the crowd or the event! And they make for the perfect party munchie, because they actually reheat extremely well in the oven! So you can make them the day before, and they’re ready to warm when you are!

Thanks again to all of the wonderful people at Johnsonville® for thinking of us! We have been having a blast with this Sizzling Sausage Grill, and so very much appreciate all you guys do! Your brats are bar-none, and the grill has been a pure JOY to use in the kitchen!

You can follow Johnsonville® on these social medias to keep up with their latest products, recipes, and events! Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!

So if you’re craving grilled brats or sausages, and the weather isn’t cooperating, bring the party inside and pick up one of these grills! They truly are so much fun to use, and cook brats to perfection with no fuss and no mess!

Hope you all enjoy as much as we all did!! These “Baby Bierocks” received rave reviews from all!!

And do keep this recipe in mind for the Super Bowl, and any other sporting events and gatherings you have coming up! These will feed a crowd and go a long ways!

*This recipe is also easily halved if just wanting to make a smaller batch for the family, too.

Stay tuned!! I have one more recipe coming next using this grill and product! And, as always, though I was sent these awesome gifts, my reviews of these products are solely my own, honest opinions.

Take care all, and see you soon!

Yield: 36 appetizers

3 Cheese Baby Bierocks with Brats, Bacon & Caraway

Ingredients

Indoor Sizzling Sausage Grill

1 (36 ct.) bag Rhodes® frozen bread dough rolls, thawed (*directions below)

For Cabbage Mixture

4 Tbl. real butter (I always use Minerva Dairy)
4 cups shredded cole slaw mix with carrot bits
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. dark or light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. regular table salt
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
2 strips (3 if small) peppered and crisp-cooked lean thick-cut bacon, broken into 1/2 inch pieces
4 oz. swiss cheese, shredded
2 cups (lightly packed) shredded mozzarella & provolone cheese blend

Rest of Ingredients:

mustard (any kind you like)
1 extra large egg white beaten with 1/2 Tbl. cold water
more caraway seeds to sprinkle on top
[br]

For Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup regular heavy mayo
1/2 cup salad dressing (such as "Miracle Whip")
1/4 cup real honey
1/8 cup (2 Tbl.) regular table mustard
1/8 cup (2 Tbl.) spicy brown mustard
1/8 cup (2 Tbl.) lemon juice, fresh squeezed, (concentrate ok to sub)

Instructions

*Thaw rolls by placing into 2 sprayed 13 x 9 pans. (Keep rolls apart from each other.) Spray tops well, cover pan with plastic wrap, and place into the oven with the light on. Rolls should be fully thawed in 2 hours. Pop into fridge to keep from rising.

Next, grill brats (in Johnsonville's Indoor Sizzling Sausage Grill). When brats are done, remove them and set aside loosely covered to rest. When cooled, slice each lengthwise in half, then in half again. Then slice into small pieces.

While brats are cooking, in large frying pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add rest of Cabbage Mixture ingredients except bacon and cheeses, and stir to combine. Sauté until cabbage and onions are tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in diced brats, bacon, and shredded cheeses.

On un-floured board, flatten one roll into a 4 - inch round circle. In just the very center, spread with a little mustard, top with a rounded 1/8 cup (about 3 Tbl.) brat and slaw mixture. Bring up four "corners" of the dough pinching together, bring up rest and pinch all together, sealing, and tuck under a little. Place pinched and sealed side down onto a sprayed baking sheet. (Cup with your hand to re-form into a ball if you'd like.) Brush top and sides with egg wash. Sprinkle top lightly with caraway seeds. Continue with rest of rolls until all are filled.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes until golden.

Serve warm with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce if desired, and ice cold beers!

For Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until creamy. Pour into glass jar, cover, and chill at least one hour. (Can be made the day before.)

Notes

I cooked these in Johnsonville's new Indoor Sizzling Sausage Grill. You can do it this way, fry them indoors, or grill them outdoors.