📖 Instructions

1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. This prevents the strata from sticking and makes serving easier.
2. In a large skillet, brown one pound of breakfast sausage over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease; nobody wants a greasy strata.
3. Add one diced onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Onions and sausage are a match made in heaven, so don't skip this step.
4. Whisk together 8 large eggs, 2 cups of milk (I prefer whole milk for richness), 1 cup of beer (a pale ale or lager works well), 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper in a large bowl. Make sure everything is well combined.
5. Cut 12 ounces of soft pretzels into 1-inch pieces. Trust me, the soft pretzels are key here; they soak up the custard perfectly.
6. In the prepared baking dish, layer half of the pretzel pieces, followed by the cooked sausage and onion mixture, and then the remaining pretzel pieces. Distribute everything evenly.
7. Pour the egg mixture over the pretzel and sausage layers, making sure to saturate all the pretzels. Gently press down on the pretzels to ensure they are submerged in the custard.
8. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This allows the pretzels to soak up all the delicious flavors.
9. The next morning, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the plastic wrap from the baking dish.
10. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the strata. Cheese makes everything better, right?
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the strata is golden brown and set. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
12. Let the strata cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives, if desired. Enjoy!