Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Brats
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What’s better than a bacon-wrapped bratwurst? A bacon-wrapped bratwurst that’s stuffed with CHEESE and then smoked!
I firmly believe that cheese and bacon make everything better and this recipe is no exception. It’s low-carb, keto-friendly, and takes less than an hour to cook.
So what is a bratwurst?
Originating in Germany, bratwurst is a type of fresh sausage:
Brät: finely chopped meat
Wurst: sausage
In the United States, bratwurst (commonly nicknamed “brats”) is especially popular in the Midwest. They can be served on a bun like a hot dog, sliced and incorporated into another dish, or just by themselves.
How to make Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Brats
1. Make a cradle
You want to take your knife and slice the bratwurst lengthwise to create a little cradle for your cheese. DON’T slice through to the other side – you want to aim to cut about ¾ of the way through the sausage.
Once you’ve sliced the brat, push the meat filling to the side to create space for the cheese.
2. Stuff that brat
You can use almost any type of cheese for this recipe. I’m a fan of sharp cheddar. I also prefer to cut from a larger block of cheese because I find it melts better.
Take your block of cheese and cut it into five small rectangles. You want it to be about a half-inch shorter than the bratwurst on both ends.
3. Seal that brat
Lay the cheese into the center of the sausage, then roll the sausage around it and seal the edge by pushing it together with your fingers. Sealing the edge is essential, so your cheese doesn’t leak out while cooking.
4. Wrap the brats with bacon
Once the bratwurst is stuffed with cheese, wrap the entire thing in a slice of thick-cut streaky bacon.
You can use two slices of bacon if you prefer, but I like to stick to one, so I don’t end up with undercooked bacon on the inside of the wrap.
5. Season with bbq rub
The finishing touch is a sprinkle of your favorite barbecue rub.
For this recipe, I used the PS Seasoning Notorious P.I.G. rub. It’s a blend of sugar, salt, chili pepper, and garlic – slightly sweet with a little kick of spice at the end.
If you prefer to whip up your own rub at home, check out all of our dry rub recipes.
6. Fire up the smoker
Now just fire up your smoker to 250°F. I smoked these on my Camp Chef Woodwind 24 pellet smoker with Bear Mountain Bourbon BBQ pellets.
When your smoker is preheated, just place the brats directly on the grates.
Let them smoke for about one hour, or until the internal temperature of the sausage is up to 165°F with an instant-read meat thermometer like the ThermoPro TP19.
Once the sausage hits at least 165°F internal and the bacon is crisped to your liking, they are ready to enjoy!
How to serve Bacon wrapped Cheddar Brats
These brats are delicious on their own, but you can also make a Bacon-wrapped Cheddar “Brat-dog”! Place the bacon-wrapped brat onto a hot dog bun and top with spicy brown mustard for an epic handheld dish.
Here are some great sides that pair perfectly with these brats:
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- The Best Pasta Salad for BBQ
- Smoked Beer Mustard Potatoes
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Homemade Classic French Fries
Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Brats
Ingredients
- 19 oz bratwurst - 5 sausages
- 8 oz cheddar cheese - block
- 5 slices bacon - thick cut
- 2 tbsp barbecue rub - Use our BBQ Pork Rub for an easy homemade option
Instructions
- Pre-heat your smoker to 250°F.
- Take each bratwurst and slice it lengthwise down the middle to create a cradle for the cheese. Do not cut all the way through to the other side – aim to cut about ¾ of the way through the sausage.
- Using your fingers, push back the meat filling to create a cradle in the center of the sausage.
- Slice your cheese into rectangles that are about half an inch shorter than the bratwurst on both sides.
- Place the sliced cheese in the center of the bratwurst and push the edges together to seal the sausage around the cheese.
- Wrap each cheddar-stuffed bratwurst in a slice of thick-cut bacon.
- Season the bacon on all sides with your barbecue rub.
- Place the bacon-wrapped brats directly on the grates of your smoker and let cook for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 165°F. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only. If you’re worried you could always add a side of kale.
About Your Pitmaster
Breanna Stark is a Texas-based competitive pitmaster and barbecue educator. She grew up cooking over charcoal and open flames while camping with her father, sparking a lifelong love of barbecue. Since 2014, she has competed in over 100 IBCA, KCBS, and CBA events, earning recognition for her award-winning chicken and Texas-style barbecue.
Passionate about recipe testing and development to create approachable dishes that help backyard cooks level up their barbecue skills. Breanna shares her expertise with over three million followers on social media.