STEWS & BREWS (Part 1 of 3): Bratwurst, Kale & Apple Stew with Ayinger’s Oktober Fest Märzen

Apple stew? No we’re not crazy. See how we brew the essence of fall into this dreamy pot of goodness…

It’s October and finally starting to feel like fall. The leaves are changing color, the weather is cooling down, and Halloween will be here before we know it. To celebrate the chilling holiday we’re launching Stews & Brews—a blog series where we’ll be pairing a warm and hearty stew recipe with a tasty, flavorful beer. No lite beers here folks.To kick off our series we’re going big with a Bratwurst Stew paired with Ayinger’s Oktober Fest Märzen. The stew includes some of our favorite fall ingredients including kale, apples, beans, and sage. Our flavorful bone broth helps speed up the cooking time so you can feed your little (or big) monsters before they’re reaching back into the candy jar for the fourth or fifth time. We added the apples in last to keep their crunch and to also disguise them as potatoes. The bratwurst and apples really pair well together, giving that sweet and savory taste that keeps you coming back for more.

As for the beer, we chose it for the rich, golden color—and for its slightly sweet but malty nose. You can smell the delicious spices as you sip this fantastic brew, and its flavor is filled with all kinds of dark breads that are perfect for soaking up stews. Boasting loads of awards and accolades, this “stew brew” favorite of ours averages a 4 out of 5 rating on Untapped and an 89 from Beer Advocate.

Pull out your Bierkrug, Steinkrug, or Das Boot and enjoy!

Bratwurst, Kale & Apple Stew

Serves: 2–3 pp | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 to 2 cups of chicken or beef bone broth (we used chicken)
• 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
• 1 lb. bratwurst sausage, remove casings (can sub chicken or pork)
• One 15 oz. can of organic white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups of kale, chopped and remove stems
• 2 apple, peeled and diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons sage, chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 tablespoons salt
• 1-2 tablespoons pepper

METHOD

In a Dutch oven or medium sized pot, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil over medium heat. Add the bratwurst and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces. Cook until sausage starts to brown and there’s no pink, about 5 minutes. Add the second tablespoon of ghee or oil to the pan and then stir in the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of bone broth to deglaze pot, and scrape the brown bits off the bottom to get those extra flavors. Add the kale, tomatoes, sage, 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add 1–1.5 cups of bone broth and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.

Stir the beans and apples into the stew and cook until warmed through, about 5–10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle stew into bowls, pour beer into your favorite mug, and enjoy!