A Rosacci Bratwurst Story by Daniel J. Rosacci, Tony’s Market CEO
It was Memorial Day Weekend 1983, days away from my graduation at Arapahoe High School. I arrived at work after school that Friday and my Dad (Tony) handed me my sausage list, “1,200 lbs bratwurst, 800 lbs Italian sausage.”
I am sure my eyes were the size of saucers, but I readily accepted this challenge and by Saturday, my list was complete. You see, I was already a six-year veteran sausage-maker, taught in the summer of 1978.
My arms felt like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s from using our old hand crank sausage machine, and I found myself making more on Monday (Memorial Day) as we ran out on Sunday. I was a fortunate boy growing up in this hard-working family and have many fond memories of those wonderful years.
Thirty-eight years later, the tradition continues! My father is still active in the business and enjoys his Saturdays at the Dry Creek Store. Generation two is now running the company and generation three is seen throughout the company in various key positions. And, our fresh pork bratwurst is STILL THE BEST in COLORADO.
The Secret to Tony’s Market Bratwurst
We’ve used the same recipe for the past 38 years: FRESH lean pork shoulder, spices and natural hog casings. We never use any preservatives or MSG in our all natural ingredient sausage. Our sausages are COURSE GROUND for an old world meaty consistency and never mushy.
They are unlike the mass-produced grocery store brands that practically pulverize their product so it feels like a hot dog rather than an Old World sausage. Because of the quality ingredients we use at Tony’s, our sausage has all the flavor with “up to 30% less fat than these national brands.”
Nowadays, I don’t crank sausage. I save that for those younger and stronger arms, but fresh pork bratwurst will always remain a tradition we’ll always be proud of here at Tony’s.
Easy Beer Cooked Grilled Brats Recipe
- Simmer the brats in beer (preferably a dark beer) with a sliced yellow onion or cover the brats in beer with the sliced onions and put in the oven.
- Cook for about 35-45 minutes.
- Finish on grill until brown.
- Serve hot with fresh sauerkraut or the beer cooked onions and mustard.
Comments are closed.