SARASOTA'S SO-CALLED CROCKPOT BEER BRATWURST & VEGGIES

Steps:

• Chop -- Simply cut the brats in 3 pieces each on a angle. Carrots, peel, again chop on a angle (I just like how it looks) in about 2" pieces. Onion, I use 2 large onions, rough chopped. Potatoes, small ones I leave whole, if they are large I will cut in half. Not too small or they get mushy.
• Crockpot -- Brats on the bottom with the carrots, then onions and topped with potatoes. Top all that with the sauerkraut.
• Sauce -- In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the butter and melt in the microwave for 10 seconds, remove and then add in the beer, mustard, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon black pepper and garlic. Pour over the brats and vegetables. Lay 3 springs of thyme right on top of the sauerkraut.
• Cook -- Crockpot - low 6-8 hours. My crock pot takes 7 hours, but every crockpot is different. You just want the potatoes and carrots to be tender. The brats will easily be done. Right at the end of cooking, check for seasoning. No salt was added, but the sauerkraut even though it was rinsed can be salty, so go easy. Besides you are serving a sauce with this dish which also has seasoning.
• Sauce -- This is a great compliment to this dish. You can always just serve it with some mustard, but I love this sauce served on each persons plate in a small side bowl for dipping or for pouring over the vegetables. It is similar to the consistency of gravy.
• Remove the cooking liquid to let it cool slightly before you add it to the sour cream so it does not break the sour cream. It will cool in just a few minutes. In a small bowl add the sour cream, horseradish, mustard, salt and pepper. It is a nice creamy spicy sauce to serve with the brats and vegetables. My Mom always adds more mustard to her portion, so just go by taste. I happen to love my horseradish sauce, so -- each person is unique in their own taste.