Bacon Wrapped Sausage Stuffed Bratwurst

Name: Bacon Wrapped Sausage Stuffed Bratwurst
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 bratwurst; 6 mozzarella string cheese sticks (frozen for 20-30 minutes); 12 slices regular-cut bacon; Your favorite barbecue rub or seasoning; Your favorite condiments, for serving

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Watch Me Make It

These bacon wrapped sausage stuffed bratwurst combine mozzarella-filled brats, seasoned bacon, and the smoker for a rich hand-held meal.

Briefly freezing the string cheese helps it hold together longer as the brats cook, though a little cheese leakage is still normal.

A hand slices a raw bratwurst lengthwise on a wooden cutting board.

Why This Recipe Works

The mozzarella center and seasoned bacon bring big flavor to the bratwurst without adding a complicated process. The smoker gives the bacon time to reach that deep amber color while the cheese melts inside.

Regular-cut bacon is a good fit for the curved brats because it bends and overlaps more easily than thicker slices. That even coverage also helps keep the stuffed brats together as they cook.

A hand places a cheese stick inside a split raw bratwurst on a wooden cutting board.

Ingredients

6 bratwurst
6 mozzarella string cheese sticks, frozen for 20-30 minutes
12 slices regular-cut bacon
Your favorite barbecue rub or seasoning
Your favorite condiments, for serving

How to Make It

Preheat your smoker to 375°F. Place the string cheese in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before assembling the brats. This helps slow down the melting process while they cook.

A person holds a split raw bratwurst filled with a cheese stick over a wooden cutting board.

Slice horizontally across the top of each bratwurst, being careful not to cut all the way through. Press the sausage meat down and outward to create a canoe-shaped opening.

Place one chilled string cheese stick into the opening. Press the bratwurst meat firmly up and around the cheese to completely encapsulate it, making sure there are no visible gaps where possible.

Three seasoned bacon-wrapped bratwursts cooking on a grill.

Wrap each stuffed brat with two slices of regular-cut bacon, overlapping the bacon slightly to help keep everything together. Season the outside of the bacon with your favorite barbecue rub or seasoning.

Place the bacon wrapped brats on the preheated smoker and cook at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the bacon reaches a deep amber color and is cooked to your liking. Some cheese may leak out during cooking, and that’s okay.

Remove from the smoker and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving hot with your favorite condiments.

A hand holds a bun filled with a bacon-wrapped bratwurst.

Tips and Variations

Take a moment to press the sausage meat firmly around the cheese before adding the bacon. Fewer visible gaps leave fewer easy paths for melted cheese to escape.

Use the bacon color as the practical visual cue here. A little cheese loss is normal, and the short rest gives the hot cheese a chance to settle before the brats are handled.

Be sure to temp your pork sausage to make sure that it's reached at least 160F - 165F internal for safe consumption.

Gloved hands hold a sliced bacon-wrapped bratwurst stuffed with melted cheese.

Serving Ideas

These work well on toasted brat buns or hoagie rolls with mustard, ketchup, barbecue sauce, or other favorite condiments. Potato salad, coleslaw, or baked beans would make easy cookout-style sides.

The browned bacon, melted mozzarella, and smoky bratwurst make these a solid choice when a regular brat needs a little more going on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I freeze the string cheese before stuffing the bratwurst?

Freeze the string cheese for 20-30 minutes to help slow the melting process while the brats cook.

How do I stuff the bratwurst without cutting it in half?

Slice horizontally across the top, stopping before you cut all the way through. Press the sausage meat down and outward to form a canoe-shaped opening, add the cheese, then press the meat up around it.

How much bacon do I need for each stuffed brat?

Wrap each stuffed bratwurst with two slices of regular-cut bacon, overlapping the slices slightly to help hold everything together.

What temperature and how long should these bacon wrapped brats cook?

Cook them on a preheated smoker at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until the bacon is deep amber and cooked to your liking.

Is it okay if cheese leaks out while the brats cook?

Yes. Some cheese may leak during cooking, and that is okay. Let the brats rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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