Ingredients:
1 x Pillsbury refrigerated grands buttermilk biscuits (10.2 ounces)
Bratwurst sausages (19 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
7 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the beer cheese sauce:
1/4 cup beer, room temperature (I used a hefeweizen beer for a more traditional Octoberfest theme, but you can use any favorite beer you like)
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature *(from a block or a wheel of cheese, please see note at bottom of recipe)
1/2 cup Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubed size pieces, room temperature
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-inch x 13-inch ovenproof casserole pan with cooking oil.
2. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place biscuits pieces equally spaced apart in the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes (par baking the biscuit pieces will help keep them from getting soggy, they will bake the rest of the way when you bake the final casserole). Remove pan from oven and set aside for later.
3. Using a large pot, add bratwurst and fill with water until covered. Bring to a boil then reduce to low, cook for 15 minutes (cooking bratwurst first in water is just to make it easier to remove the casing). Remove bratwurst to a paper towel lined plate, let cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut each sausage in half-length wise and remove casing, then chop bratwurst into small bite size pieces. Using a large frying pan on medium heat, add olive oil and butter until melted. Add bratwurst and increase heat to medium high, cook until brown and caramelized. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove bratwurst and onion to a paper lined plate.
4. Once bratwurst and onions have cooled for a few minutes, scatter evenly over the biscuits in the casserole pan and then top with the 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Using a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and black pepper until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the ingredients in casserole pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, remove pan from oven to a wire rack.
5. For the beer cheese sauce: Very important that the listed beer cheese sauce recipe ingredients are at room temperature to be a success. Using a large frying pan, preheat on the stove on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add beer and heat for 2 minutes, then stir in yellow mustard, garlic and cayenne powder. Add cheddar and Velveeta cheese, stirring until melted (increase heat if needed). Continue to slowly stir until the sauce thickens like a thin gravy. Spoon and spread the cheese sauce evenly over the top of the ingredients in the casserole dish and serve.
*Note: Store bought shredded cheese contains potato starch and powdered cellulose. It keeps the cheese from clumping and shreds of cheese separate. Using store bought shredded cheese can cause cheese sauces to separate and become grainy, ending in a big pile of failure. By shredding your own cheese from a block or wheel of cheese equals a successful cheese sauce.
Note: This casserole really holds up well as a leftover meal. In fact, we thought it was even better the next day, because the flavors had a chance to meld together.
The beer cheese sauce recipe (minus the yellow mustard) is great as a hot dip with crackers or chips. Also is great on nachos.