Roasted Pears with Grilled Beer Bratwurst and Honey
Young culinary gun Chef Matthew Grunwald shares the flavors of this tasty dish served up in a cast-iron skillet.
A cast-iron skillet is the perfect vessel to entertain with, and it is a really versatile tool. Let me give you a few examples. Did you know that if you turn the skillet upside down and heat it in a 450 degree oven, it can be used as a pizza stone? Or if you bring it along to a tailgate event, the residual heat in the pan will remain and keep your food much hotter than foil does? Or let’s get scientific! When metal is heated to extreme levels of temperature, the cast iron in this case expands. When it swells, lingering flavors of whatever you cooked that day will remain in the pan when the cooking vessel is cooled. I have a cast-iron skillet that I’ve used in many, many cooking capers over the last six years. I can simply season a chicken breast with salt and pepper, cook it in the pan, and end up with Mexican, Italian, and Cajun flavors. It really is a versatile tool in the kitchen.
Now that the cool winter months are upon us, so is the wonderful task of entertaining our loved ones, family, friends, dogs, and neighbors. And, boy do I have a perfect meal for you! The successful key to this dish is, of course, the cast-iron skillet! Heated to high and doused with a good drizzle of olive oil, the sautéed onions, garlic, pears, and local organic honey you add into the pan begin to caramelize. The pears become glazed, and the onions turn a rich brown color. It’s such a beautiful sight! Warm spices like cinnamon and cloves are accompanied by cayenne pepper and fennel seeds that will make you fall out of your seat––they’re that good!
Costarring alongside the sweet-and-savory caramelized pears in this dish is beer sausage. Scored with a parry knife so that they don’t burst in the oven, the fatty, nutty sausages are just perfect when seared in the pan and allowed to slowly cook and marry with all of the flavors from the onions, garlic, spices, pears, and a splash of dry white wine.
Now, let’s talk plating. Forget classic style—serve it family style in the skillet. When you remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven, allow it to slightly cool at least 10 minutes and place it on top of a rustic burlap sack in the center of the table on top of a wooden crate. This is such a gorgeous presentation, and it really brings the whole family together with a bread-breaking setting.
Stay merry, and cheers, friends!
Roasted Pears with Grilled Beer Bratwurst and Honey
8 beer bratwurst
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 bosc pears, halved
1 white onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. brown sugar, dark
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 cup dry white wine
1 orange, zested and juiced
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat a grill pan to high heat and cook each sausage for 1–2 minutes on each side until grill marks appear. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add the oil and cook the pears facedown with the onions in the pan for 2–3 minutes. Add in the honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and fennel. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the pears are glazed.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine and the zested and juiced orange. Cook until reduced by half on a simmer.
Transfer the pears to an oven-safe baking dish. Layer the sausages on top.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the sausages are fully cooked and just browned.
