The combination of brats and bacon is amazing! Add them into a stew and you got yourself a hearty winter meal. This simple and tasty bacon stew is loaded with flavor. It might not be the leanest, but if you want to splurge on a cozy winter evening, this is a stew you should try!
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More about yams and butternut squash
As for nutrition for this stew, we’re getting protein from the brats and the bacon, we’re getting carbohydrates with the noodles or mashed potatoes we serve with it, and we’re getting a slew of vitamins with the add-ins.
Yams or sweet potatoes. There is a difference and you can use whichever one you want for this stew. As for yams, their nutrition label looks great. Yams are a great source of manganese, copper, and potassium. They have a little bit of folate and magnesium too. Yams are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin c. These orange tubers may help our brain function, ease symptoms of menopause, help manage blood sugar, and are a great alternative to white potatoes.
If you go the Butternut Squash route, it’s easy on digestion and has great flavor. This squash is a good source of calcium, potassium, vitamin A, E, folate, B-6. It helps lower blood pressure, cancer risk, and asthma. Butternut squash is also great for your hair, skin, and immune system.
Tools I love for this dish
The number one tool for this dish is the trusty cast-iron pan. It gives the food an extra layer of flavor. Believe me, I’ve done a lot of research on what pan is the healthiest to cook with. One that won’t leach chemicals, aluminum, or Teflon into my food and the cast iron wins every time! It may be heavy, but it’s extremely low maintenance. In fact, if you’re anemic (iron deficient) it helps put a little iron in your system.
One more thing about the cast iron pan, it’s SUPER easy to clean, no soap required. Seriously, no soap, you’ll wreck the ‘seasoning’ of the pan. I highly recommend getting a cast iron pan, even if it’s the small one. You can find them on Amazon.
Other ingredients and variations
As for other ingredients, I recommend a leaf to two of basil, chopped fresh tomato, or chopped kale to give it some color and an extra nutrition boost.
The piece that brings it all together for me is the olive oil. I use a little bit in the pan, and if I serve gluten-free Ramen noodles I add olive oil to the noodles with a dash of salt. I love the flavor it brings to each ingredient. My favorite, hands-down olive oil is California Ranch Olive Oil. It’s 100% olive oil. With that said, be sure you get an olive oil you trust is 100%. We don’t need no stinkin’ canola or vegetable oil fillers. I have more information on what oils are best here.
On to the recipe!
Brat n Bacon Stew
Equipment
- 1 large sauce pan
- 1 Cast Iron Pan optional
Ingredients
- 4 links brats, any kind you like
- 1/2 package pork bacon
- 3/4 cup finely chopped celery sticks (about 2 stalks)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 1/2 cup pre-baked yams cubed or butternut squash
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pepper for taste
- 1 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1/2 cup white wine (this is optional)
Instructions
- Chop the onion, celery, yams (or squash) and make sure they're ready to go.
- Slice the brats into 1/4 inch slices (chuncks) with skins removed.
- Slice the bacon into small 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch slices.
- Put the 2 TBSP of olive oil in the saucepan or cast iron pan, turn on the burner to medium heat. Braise the brat slices.
- When brats are halfway braised, add the bacon and cook lightly. Do not over cook the bacon so that it is crispy, we want the bacon flimsy. If you used a cast iron pan, transfer cooked brat slices and bacon sliced into a saucepan.
- Add celery and onion and cook slightly. Stir while cooking.
- Add the water and garlic powder and bring to a boil. You can add the yams at this time if you want, but I recommend adding them a little later since they are pre-cooked.
- Once boiling, turn down to a simmer with a top on the pan but slightly cracked.
- After 10 minutes, add the pre-cooked yam cubes or squash, along with a dash of black pepper, and add the wine (wine is optional).
- Simmer for the remaning time, checking on it frequently. If it looks like it needs more water, add just a 1/2 cup at a time.
- Allow to cool to your liking, serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or Ramen noodles.
Notes
The calories are per serving, which is about 1 1/2 cups; this is an estimate and depends on the type of brats and bacon you choose to use.
This dish is amazing with Ramen noodles and a side of spinach. Add some fresh tomatoes to give it some color, or a nice piece of garlic toast! Check out my other simple and delicious recipes that your family will love. All are gluten-free and dairy-free!
Simple Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Leg Recipe
Simple Game Day Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
