Brat Strata

We had some extra buns and cabbage to use up recently, and we thought, "we oughta make a strata! What goes good with buns? Hamburgers, hot dogs...brats!"  Having already done a hamburger-type strata, and having more of a hankering for brats than hot dogs, we forged ahead with a brat-themed strata. 

We started by sautéing a pound of ground venison (thanks Uncle Pete!) with a couple chopped, medium-size onions. For seasoning, we kind of winged it with whatever we had in the cupboard (and it wasn't bad by any means), but next time we'll probably follow expert recommendations a little closer.  One thing that worked well, though, was to season the meat and onions extra heavy so we didn't have to add much to the rest of the dish.  Similarly, we wanted sauerkraut, but had only cabbage and didn't want to wait several weeks to eat supper.  So, we made up a sort of 'instant sauerkraut' recipe that was passable, but something like this or this might have made Katie's taste buds a little happier.

We layered the sliced buns, meat/onion mix, sauerkraut, and some sharp cheddar in a 9" x 13" pan, whipped up a mix of six eggs topped up to 3 cups with milk, and poured it over the top.  Into the oven at 350 °F for 50-60 min.  Hey, that does actually smell like a brat!

It goes great with traditional brat condiments--mustard and, if you're a heathen American, ketchup.  Pretty good!

The recipe:
1-1.5 lb. ground venison
2 medium onions, chopped
1 qt sauerkraut
Brat seasonings to taste, then doubled
Sliced bread or buns to make two layers in a 9" x 13" pan
1 lb shredded cheese (we used cheddar)

6 eggs
Enough milk to top up eggs to 3 cups total

Sauté the ground venison and onions in a frying pan over medium heat until meat is browned and onions are translucent, seasoning with favorite brat seasonings.  Layer the bread, browned meat/onions, sauerkraut, and cheese in a 9" x 13" pan, starting with bread and ending with cheese, aiming for two layers each. Beat together eggs, and milk. Pour over layers and set in fridge for several hours or overnight. Bake at 350 °F for 50-55 min, until center is lightly set and top is golden brown. Allow to cool and top with favorite brat accoutrements.