Old Fashioned Brats in Beer

(I usually double or triple this recipe, since the brats keep nice in the refrigerator and are easy leftovers. They are also great to take camping, since you can precook the brats and just reheat and brown them over a campfire.)

1 (12-oz.) can beer
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
4 fresh bratwurst
8 oz. sauerkraut, drained (best to use refrigerated sauerkraut, not canned)
1/4 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
4 brat or hot dog buns

Heat grill. In medium saucepan or skillet, combine beer and caraway seeds. Prick bratwurst with a fork several times; add to beer mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until bratwurst are no longer pink. Remove bratwurst from beer mixture. Add drained sauerkraut and bell pepper to beer mixture; heat until hot. When ready to grill, place bratwurst on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals; cover grill. Cook 4 to 65 minutes or until golden brown, turning frequently. Place buns, cut side down, on grill. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until buns are lightly toasted. Place bratwurst in buns. Using slotted spoon, spoon sauerkraut on top of bratwurst. (Bratwurst and buns can also be broiled on a broiler pan, 4 to 6 inches from heat, using times above as a guide.)

Nobody seems more obsessed by diet than our anti-materialistic, otherworldly, New Age spiritual types. But if the material world is merely illusion, an honest guru should be as content with Budweiser and bratwurst as with raw carrot juice, tofu and seaweed slime. ~Edward Abbey