Tim Walz' New Ulm Hotdish - Upgraded! [From Scratch]

5 from 1 vote

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is known for his tater tot hotdish recipes - this is my upgraded version of his New Ulm Hotdish - from scratch!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 30

Course: main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 823kcal

Author: Marie Porter

2 Bottles of Beer
1 ½ lbs Bratwurst Sausages
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
8 oz Crimini Mushrooms chopped
2 Celery Ribs chopped
1 Small Onion chopped
1 tablespoon Olive Oil or vegetable oil
2 Garlic Cloves pressed or finely minced
Salt and Ground Black Pepper.
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1-3 teaspoon Dijon Mustard we like 3, but 1 is probably more in the spirit of hotdish.
3 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese divided
2 ½ tablespoon Corn Starch
2 lb bag tater tots 800 g bag Tasti Taters

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9x 13" baking dish with pan spray of choice, set aside.
Measure out 1 cup of beer, set aside. Add remaining beer into a medium pot, along with the brats.
Bring the beer to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow to boil for about 10 minutes, or until the brats are cooked through.
Remove from heat, transfer the sausages to a cutting board, and discard the boiled beer. (Or not - see notes below!) Chop brats into bite sized pieces, set aside.
Saute mushrooms, celery, and onion in oil, until the vegetables start to soften. Add garlic to the pan, continue cooking until everything is soft and onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add reserved beer, whipping cream, and mustard to the pot, whisk to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
As the beer mixture is heating, toss 2 cups of the shredded cheese with the cornstarch, making sure the corn starch is well distributed. This will prevent clumps in your sauce.
Add the cheese and cornstarch mixture to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted and the mixture has thickened.
Add the chopped brats to the pot, stir well. Taste, season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan, then arrange tater tots in a single layer on top.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until the tots are golden and crispy.
Scatter remaining shredded cheese over the casserole, return to oven, and bake for 10 more minutes.
Serve hot!

Once cooled to room temperature, leftovers can be covered - or transferred to an airtight container - and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Note: For more brat taste in your cheese sauce, use all of the beer to cook the brats.

Once you’ve removed the brats, skim any foam off from the beer. Measure out 1 cup of the cooked beer, for use in the sauce.