As regular readers know, 1/2 of our staff, as well as many of our readers, hail from the great state of Wisconsin. While Wisconsin is justly famous for its beer and cheese, we're also the home of the sausage whose reputation over the last few years has grown to almost mythical proportions: the brat.

Laura, one of our contributors, grilled some brats the other day and admitted she didn't get what the big deal was. I suspect that's the reaction of a lot of people outside the state. But, you can't simply throw a brat on a grill and expect to get a taste of Wisconsin. Nope, there's a method behind the madness. I'll quote my brother on the proper way to prepare brats:

First they are cooked, not boiled, preferably in a mixture of beer and water with lots of onions. You want the water just below boiling. Then, they are grilled to add the flavor of grilling. The best brats are typically bought at the grocery store's own meat section or at a meat market. The buns should be brat buns, not hotdog buns. Brat buns are harder than hotdog buns, more like a french bread roll. They should be served with baked beans (or pork'n) and potato salad.

Some other tips:

• Under no circumstances should you purchase pre-cooked brats
• But, you also can't just buy something labeled "brats". Outside of the state, you can't assume your meat section will know what a brat really is, so I'd suggest you look for a nationally-known brand like Johnsonville
• Purists claim brats can only be topped with onions, kraut, relish and mustard, but feel free to add ketchup or otherwise fancy them up to your taste
• Remember don't boil your brats. You'll break the casings
• You will probably not be able to find brat buns outside Wisconsin. Earth Grains makes various rolls that are reasonable facsimiles. The brat bun is traditionally much larger than the brat.
• You may also want to try a hoagie roll if you can't find brat buns
• If you preheat your grill, the brats will be very quickly, as all you're doing is browning them.
• Although, brats are best enjoyed with ice cold beer and sunshine, they also make a great pregame meal. Some families even have brats for Christmas (mmmm....Christmas brats)!

Even with all of these tips, brats still may not translate outside Wisconsin. Perhaps a brat is more than just a brat...it's a state of mind.