Chef notes
Tailgating often involves sausages, like brats. Breakfast often involves pancakes. By dipping brats in pancake batter and frying them until they’re golden, you have a pigs-in-blankets situation that’s perfect for a breakfast or brunch tailgate. They can be prepped ahead and taken with you too.
Ingredients
- 2 cups prepared store-bought pancake batter
- 12 bratwursts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Canola oil, for frying
- 2/3 cup cabernet sauvignon wine, such as Bota Box
- 1/3 cup black currant jam
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Wooden skewers
Preparation
For the brats in blankets:
1.Soak the skewers in water for 3 to 4 hours.
2.In a deep fryer or large pot, add enough oil to fill the vessel with 3 to 4 inches in depth. Heat the oil to 375 degrees.
3.Cut the bratwursts in half. Dredge each half in flour and dip in pancake batter, leaving approximately 1 inch exposed. Let the excess drip off and gently place in the oil. Fry the battered brats until they are golden brown. Place on a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
For the cabernet sauvignon ketchup:
In a 10-inch flame-proof skillet, combine the wine, jam, tomato paste and ground cloves. Over medium-low heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook uncovered and stir frequently until the mixture is reduced to a thickened, ketchup-like consistency, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard and salt and transfer to a small bowl to cool.
