Step 1

Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and place it in the oven. Spread a sheet of aluminum foil across the baking pan and crimp the edges around the sides of the pan to hold it in place. This will make cleanup easy, and it will help keep the brats from sticking to the pan. Once the pan is lined, place it in your oven so it can get hot as the oven preheats.You can use a cookie sheet, a casserole dish, or any other pan you have on hand. It just needs to be big enough to hold all of the bratwurst so that they don’t touch each other.If you use a rimmed baking sheet, the brats won’t be able to accidentally roll off the side.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Once you’ve placed the pan inside of the oven, turn the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Give the oven about 10-15 minutes to reach the correct heat. If you have a thermometer on your oven, you can use that to monitor the temp so you’ll know when the oven is ready.Preheating the oven will give you more consistent results while you’re cooking, since the temperature will already be stabilized when you add the food.By preheating the baking pan along with the oven, you’ll get a nice sear on the outside of the sausages.

Step 3

Take out the baking pan and spread out the brats in a single layer. Use oven mitts to carefully slide the baking pan out of the oven. Set the pan on top of the stove or on a heat-safe mat on the counter, then add the bratwursts on top of the foil.To ensure even cooking, make sure the brats aren’t touching each other on the sheet. However, they don’t need much space between them, so as long as you have about 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) around each one, you should be fine.

Step 4

Place the brats in the oven for 45 minutes, turning once with tongs. After the brats have been cooking for about 20 minutes, carefully turn them over with a pair of cooking tongs. This will ensure they brown evenly on both sides. Return them to the oven and cook them for another 20-25 minutes, or until the sausages are browned on the outside.Remember to use oven mitts when you handle the pan, as it will be very hot.

Step 5

Make sure the internal temp of the brats reaches 160 °F (71 °C). To make sure the bratwursts are fully cooked, they need to be at least 160 °F (71 °C). Slide an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the sausage to check the temperature.When you’re cooking meat, always judge the doneness by the internal temperature, rather than the time it’s been cooking. Smaller brats may only need to cook for about 30 minutes, while larger brats may take about an hour.

Step 6

Let the brats cool for about 5 minutes, then serve. When meat cooks, the juices tend to draw toward the center of the food. By letting the bratwurst rest for about 5 minutes, you’ll give those juices time to redistribute through the food, resulting in a delicious, tender brat!Serve with: Try serving your brats with sauteed onions and peppers, roasted vegetables, or potatoes!Store your leftover bratwurst in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 1-2 months.