If you love hearty one-pot meals and the cozy flavors of Oktoberfest, this easy bratwurst dinner deserves a place on your fall menu. Juicy brats, tender potatoes and carrots, smoky bacon, grainy mustard, and Oktoberfest beer come together in the Deluxe Multi Cooker for a meal that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

The best part? Once the cooker reaches pressure, everything cooks in just three minutes!

Here’s the recipe

A Flavorful Bacon Shortcut

The original recipe calls for cooking bacon in the pot before adding the vegetables. To save time, I cook my bacon ahead of time on a Stoneware Bar Pan in the oven.

I also save the rendered bacon fat. Instead of using vegetable oil to brown the bratwurst, I add a small spoonful of bacon fat to the cooker. The brats already contain enough fat to brown, but the bacon drippings add an extra layer of smoky flavor—and make good use of something that might otherwise be discarded.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds bratwurst, sliced
• Cooked bacon, crumbled
• A small amount of bacon fat or vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• Whole-grain or stone-ground mustard
• ½ cup lager or Oktoberfest beer
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 large or 3 regular garlic cloves
• Approximately 1½ pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• Carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
• Fresh herbs, for garnish

How to Make One-Pot Oktoberfest Brats

1. Brown the bratwurst

Set the Deluxe Multi Cooker to a browning or sear setting. Add a small amount of reserved bacon fat, then place all the sliced bratwurst in the pot.

Cook until the sausage develops plenty of browned edges. It does not need to be fully cooked at this stage; it will finish cooking under pressure. Transfer the browned bratwurst to a clean plate and set it aside.

2. Sauté the onion

Leave the flavorful fat in the pot and add the chopped onion. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften and brown.

Frozen chopped onion works perfectly here and eliminates another preparation step.

3. Build the sauce

Add the whole-grain or stone-ground mustard to the pot. Avoid ordinary yellow mustard—the texture and deeper flavor of grainy mustard help create the dish’s savory sauce.

Pour in the beer and apple cider vinegar. Add the crumbled bacon, then press the garlic directly into the pot. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

4. Add the vegetables and brats

Add the potatoes and carrots directly to the cooker. Although some versions of this recipe may call for steamer baskets, they are not necessary; everything can cook together in the same pot.

Stir the vegetables to coat them in the mustard and beer mixture. Arrange the browned bratwurst over the top.

5. Pressure cook

Secure the lid and select the Steam setting. Reduce the cooking time to 3 minutes, then press and hold the dial to begin.

The cooker will need time to come to pressure before the three-minute countdown starts. When cooking is complete, release the pressure according to your cooker’s instructions. Check that the bratwurst is completely cooked and has reached an internal temperature of 160°F. Pierce a potato and carrot to make sure they are tender.

Add a Fresh Finishing Touch

Before serving, sprinkle the dish with chopped fresh herbs. Parsley is a simple choice that provides a bright pop of color and freshness against the rich beer-and-mustard sauce.

Serve everything in generous bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of bratwurst, bacon, potatoes, carrots, and sauce.

Helpful Tips

• Use the right mustard. Whole-grain or stone-ground mustard gives the sauce its distinctive flavor and texture.
• Choose a flavorful beer. A lager works well, while an Oktoberfest brew makes the dish especially seasonal.
• Cut vegetables evenly. Similar-size pieces will cook at the same rate.
• Adjust the quantities. A full package of brats and extra vegetables make this an easy meal for a hungry family.
• Save your bacon fat. Refrigerated bacon drippings are wonderful for browning sausage, sautéing vegetables, and adding smoky flavor to savory recipes.

This one-pot Oktoberfest dinner is warm, filling, and wonderfully easy to prepare. With smoky bacon, savory bratwurst, tender vegetables, and a tangy mustard-beer sauce, it brings all the best flavors of an autumn festival straight to your kitchen.