So Much Potential
A Note from Fatty: I know I promised to talk about the wetsuit vs. no wetsuit experiment today, but my mind’s on Moab.
Tomorrow is Kenny’s annual Ride Around White Rim in One Day (RAWROD) group ride.
It is easily one of the top rides of the year. A largeish group of people, riding around the White Rim, at an easy pace.
If it’s even possible to ride 100 miles of rocks, and sand, and bumpy slickrock, at an easy pace.
The thing is, though, my favorite part is always the night before — when we gather around the fire, talk, and eat brats.
Traditionally, Kenny and I split the brats prep into two parts: it’s my job to prep the brats for grilling by boiling them in a beer, onion, and Worcestershire concoction of my own devising. It’s his job to grill the brats and put them on a slice of his homemade bread.
The thing is, the ride’s become pretty popular. So where my little Coleman stove used to be up to the task of boiling enough brats for the group, last year I just couldn’t keep up.
So this year, I’m doing a little early prep:
Yep, that’s 120 Colosimo brats, boiling in three big pots containing 30 cans of PBR, along with an onion and about a half cup of Worcestershire sauce in each pot.
Once they’ve boiled for 45 minutes or so, I’ll pour the whole mess into a couple ice chests, along with a bag of ice.
So when it’s time for brats, we’ll just throw them on the grill over the campfire.
As I sit here — I’m typing in the kitchen, watching the pots so they don’t boil over — the smell of boiling beer and bratwurst is taking over the house. It is, I am confident, the most glorious smell in the world.
Tomorrow, we do the first epic ride of the season.
Tonight, we eat.
Comment by Fish | 04.23.2010 | 8:58 am
Well, you got it half-right with the PBR, but I refuse to believe that a Utah bratwurst can ever compare to Wisconsin’s Johnsonville or Klements.
Comment by Big Shorty | 04.23.2010 | 9:01 am
Let’s see…PBR, love of single speeds….your one of those urban hipster kids trapped in Utah!
There are few things better than a good brat and good friends! Enjoy the ride.
Comment by SSMT | 04.23.2010 | 9:06 am
Is that real PBR or Utah’s 3.2 version of it?
Comment by nibbler | 04.23.2010 | 9:15 am
That picture makes me so happy.
Comment by Casey | 04.23.2010 | 9:27 am
Oh, Fatty…you are so DEAD WRONG about that smell. Nothing in the world smells more like vomit (including vomit) than brats boiling in beer.
And that nasty scum on top. OMG, I think I actually might puke right now.
Comment by Megan (Best of Fates) | 04.23.2010 | 9:29 am
Wow – I love that’s what you eat, because when I imagine the kind of people who would compete in an Iron Man I always assume they prepare by eating lean protein and salads for days beforehand!
Comment by T Foster | 04.23.2010 | 9:36 am
I’m surprised with the beer choice, but I trust that you have your reasons. Have fun.
Comment by James | 04.23.2010 | 9:37 am
Meat is so nasty. Thank you for the vomit on my keyboard from viewing your meat. Must smell “great in your kitchen.
GO VEG!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Kyle | 04.23.2010 | 9:45 am
One of the reasons I put the miles in on my bikes is so I can eat like that. Since I’m in the Northwest I go for the Fletchers with the Redhook Beer already in them. Tasty!!! Have a great ride and enjoy the Brats!!!
Comment by MattC | 04.23.2010 | 10:00 am
Kenny’s RAWROD is an awesome tradition…I’m in total envy. And your brats…MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMouthwatering delicious I bet! No, seriuosly…I’m drooling like one of my dogs right now just looking at your pics…(tho personally, I’d choose something a bit more, uhm, er…trendy? than PBR…being a self-righteous beer-snob and all). Have a blast and BE SAFE!
Comment by Den | 04.23.2010 | 10:02 am
MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, beer brats…
Comment by gargoyle | 04.23.2010 | 10:03 am
Damn. Now all I can think about is boiling and grilling some brats. That may just need to be my dinner tonight.
Comment by Barbara | 04.23.2010 | 10:06 am
Wow, Matt, your drool went all the way off my screen!
I have to agree that the grilled brats on the banner last year look more appetizing than the brats on the stove. But, what POTENTIAL!
Comment by Betsy | 04.23.2010 | 10:16 am
Eewwwwwwwwwww. Maybe they will look better on the grill. Thanks Fatty!
Comment by The Cheat | 04.23.2010 | 10:27 am
is hungry now.
Comment by DC | 04.23.2010 | 10:41 am
I was wondering who was keeping Pabst in business…
Comment by Blackdog | 04.23.2010 | 11:00 am
Fish, You could not be more wrong. My wife is from WI and we go back every year. Nothing compares to Colisimo’s Brats and sausage.. My son goes to school with one of their kids. They say vegetarian is a four letter word in their house.
Comment by AngieG | 04.23.2010 | 11:14 am
This is not good for my diet FC!! Those look absolutely wonderful.
Have a great time!!
Comment by Thad | 04.23.2010 | 11:26 am
Mmmmm brats.
Comment by Tim | 04.23.2010 | 11:47 am
My faminly has been boiling Brats in beer and onions in WI as long as I can remember. It is great to see it spread. To top it off, I usually take some of the onions out of the beer and fry them up while the brats are gilling and put them on the brat….insert your favorite antacid here….
Comment by Fish | 04.23.2010 | 12:07 pm
Blackdog: Hey, I’ve got an open mind. Send out a case and I’ll give you an honest assessment!
Comment by mark | 04.23.2010 | 12:24 pm
To all the naysayers: nobody invited you anyway. Have fun cleaning up the vomit while you’re not enjoying a fabulous meal before a spectacular ride.
PBR (even the 3.2 kind) and collosimo’s = excellent choices. Can’t wait. I’ll have a huge pan of brownies at the ready as well. And my Park Tool barbecue set so Kenny doesn’t burn his fingers.
Comment by fancydirt | 04.23.2010 | 12:38 pm
When cooking with beer, especially things like boiling brats and beer can chicken, it doesn’t really matter what kind of beer you use so anything more than PBR would just be money down the drain. Especially when you consider the cost difference in a 30 pack of PBR vs five 6 packs of a good microbrew (which go for $8-12 each around these parts), I’d much rather use PBR for the boiling and the Bell’s to drink around the fire.
Looks amazing, Fatty, you guys are in for one heck of a feast!
Comment by Road Divit | 04.23.2010 | 12:38 pm
I’ll have mine with kraut and mustard.
Comment by Road Divit | 04.23.2010 | 12:39 pm
We say in our house – Go get your meat, you might loose your seat. I pile the plate right where I plan on taking a nap after brats and a beer
Comment by Mike Roadie | 04.23.2010 | 12:40 pm
Holy Crap……I think I can smell them from here!!!! Which must mean that you can hear my stomach growling from there!!!!
Comment by L'Hippo | 04.23.2010 | 12:46 pm
What is the purpose of the boiling/simmering in beer? Sounds good and I’m am cooking some burgers & brats tomorrow night so if I’m going to do it, I might as well do it right.
I love your diet, i just need to ride more!
Comment by tcrdave | 04.23.2010 | 1:09 pm
The smell of brats on a grill has to be one of the top 5 smells ever.
On an Ironman note: Ever since yesterday’s post I’ve been trying to come up with a way to ease the running portion of the race. It dawned on me this morning on my commute into work. Are you ready?
one word: Heely’s
Get some heely’s and whenever you feel like your calves are going to explode, pop the wheel out and coast for a bit. When someone is handing you a drink off the side of the road, have them give you a little tow with the bottle like the pro’s do in a road race. It’ll make the last 10 miles of the run much more pleasant.
You’re welcome.
Have a great ride in Moab!
Comment by Nick | 04.23.2010 | 1:14 pm
Colisimo’s makes some good stuff but a good German Weisswurst, like they sell at Siegfried’s, trumps all.
Comment by Joel P. | 04.23.2010 | 1:27 pm
OK, now this is the kind of cycling themed blog I can relate to. Mmmmmmmmm, brats.
Joel P.
Comment by MattC | 04.23.2010 | 1:31 pm
@ Fancydirt…was mostly kidding about using a more trendy beer to boil the brats…it would be quite an expensive batch if you used a micro…I think more than anything I was more stunned that they still MAKE PBR…gosh…brings be back to my high school/Navy days (when I had no money…hmmm…which is much like now actually). The fancy microbrews are for drinking WHILE you make (and eat) said brats. Will have to try your recipe sometime Fatty, it sounds awesome! (and everybody knows that EVERYTHING tastes better camping!)
Comment by Cyclin' Missy | 04.23.2010 | 1:40 pm
That just made me really hungry!
Comment by axel in texas | 04.23.2010 | 2:12 pm
a triathalete needs lots of energy
beer brats provide lots of energy
looks like excellent race preparation to me.
Comment by Anne | 04.23.2010 | 2:41 pm
Brats and cycling? How is that related?
Comment by Bryan (not that one) | 04.23.2010 | 2:41 pm
Wow! Can I send my address and have you priority overnight a few to me? With the homemade bread?
Enjoy the great sounding weekend, Fatty!
Comment by SactoDave | 04.23.2010 | 3:25 pm
This could be your next fundraiser! Make a donation; earn the chance to win a brat and a signed can of PBR!
Have fun!
Comment by Redbird | 04.23.2010 | 3:37 pm
This Wisconsin-bred boy is drooling here in the Middle East. Why, oh why, am I looking at that picture from a country where pork is a banned substance? Counting the days until summer when I will return to my home and feast on the glories of all things pig. Bacon…..ham…..ribs…..brats….breakfast sausages…..oh man, I need to stop before this drool puddle shorts out the laptop. Thanks for the smell-a-vision blogpost though, reminds me of my mom boiling up some beerbrats!
Comment by chris | 04.23.2010 | 4:14 pm
I laughed thinking “who is drinking all of those PBRs?” until I realized the brats were boiling in it. Yummm. Hope you had a few too.
Comment by KanyonKris | 04.23.2010 | 4:16 pm
About to walk out the door to head to RAWROD. I’m sure I’ll be able to think of nothing but brats the whole drive down.
Comment by Anonymous | 04.23.2010 | 5:04 pm
Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble…those pots look like some sort of magical brew. Enjoy!
Comment by brewcitychis | 04.23.2010 | 5:31 pm
Good call on the brats Fish. Must go with the Johnsonville or Klements, topped with Secret Stadium Sauce of course!
Comment by Kermitsgirl | 04.23.2010 | 5:55 pm
I’m enjoying a good belly laugh over some of the comments posted here!
Comment by Bicycle Bill | 04.23.2010 | 11:02 pm
Good choice, boiling the brats in PBR. That way you save the good beer for drinking…….
Although what Fish says is true; if you want the good stuff, whether it’s bikes, brats, or beer, you’d be better off getting it from Wisconsin. Those Utah sausage-stuffers couldn’t hold a kielbasa to the authentic German brats you’ll find up here in God’s Country.
And as Road Divit said, once they’re grilled, all you need to add is sauerkraut and brown mustard.
-”BB”-
Comment by Matthew | 04.24.2010 | 12:45 am
Fatty, my friend, that sounds soooo freaking yummy! Pile on the kraut for mine, will ya?
Comment by Mike Roadie | 04.24.2010 | 6:05 am
@Anne:
Brats and Cycling……..how are they NOT related??
Comment by Greg @ Greg Rides Trails | 04.24.2010 | 7:11 am
As if I wasn’t already hungry enough!
Alright, brat’s for breakfast…
Comment by Greg @ Greg Rides Trails | 04.24.2010 | 7:21 am
Sorry, there was no need for that apostrophe.
PS I’m with Mike Brats & Cycling go hand in hand! Besides, who really cares if they’re intrinsically related anyway?
Comment by Captain Caveman | 04.24.2010 | 8:11 am
Screw vegan. EAT MEAT!!!
Comment by Mark | 04.24.2010 | 9:54 am
Oh, Man, that looks, smells, and sounds goooooood!!!!
Comment by Team Coffee Nook | 04.24.2010 | 2:24 pm
Ummm…people…PBR is so untrendy that it is actually mega-trendy.
Comment by Ryan T | 04.24.2010 | 4:39 pm
All I could think about during the RAWROD TT yesterday was a cheese burger from Ray’s. Which was delicious by the way. But after reading this it makes me wonder if I should have stuck around for the PBR brats. That is a decision I may or may not regret. Hope you guys had a good time today. Can’t wait to see the write-up.
Comment by fish (not Fish) | 04.24.2010 | 6:02 pm
Bummed I’m missing it. Unlike you, I can’t recover from that in less than a week for St. George. FYI – I have a device capable of handling that volume of sausage in one go, and outside. Give me the word and I’ll bring it down to RAWROD next year.
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