Braised Sauerkraut Recipes

CHOUCROUTE ROYALE (BRAISED SAUERKRAUT)

Steps:

• Drain the sauerkraut and soak in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes. Taking it by small handfuls, squeeze out as much water as you can. Pick it apart to separate the strands.
• Remove the rind and slice the bacon into 1/2 inch cubes about 2 inches long. Simmer it in 1 quart of water for 10 minutes and drain.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cook bacon, carrots, and onions in butter slowly in the covered casserole for 10 minutes without browning. Stir in the sauerkraut and when itis well covered with the fat and vegetables, cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes more.
• Bury the herbs and spices in the saurkraut. Pour in the wine, and enough stock to just cover the sauerkraut. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Lay a buttered round of wax paper on top of sauerkraut. Cover and set in the middle of preheated oven. Simmer slowly for 3 1/2 hours.
• Brown assorted meats in skillet. Bury them in the casserole while the sauerkraut is still braising.
• Continue to simmer in oven for another 1 1/2hours. (5 hours total).

POLISH BRAISED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Drain the sauerkraut, keeping the juice (we won't use it here, but feel free to drink it - it's very healthy!). Have a taste - if the sauerkraut is extremely sour, it's worth giving it a rinse under running water first, then squeeze it out.
• Roughly chop the sauerkraut, so that the strings of fermented cabbage aren't too long.
• Move the sauerkraut into a deep frying pan/skillet.
• Pour in enough hot water to nearly cover the sauerkraut.
• Add in 2 tablespoons of butter (don't worry, it will melt on its own), 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 5 black peppercorns and 2-3 allspice berries.
• Cover with a lid and braise until soft. Sauerkraut will become soft after around 40 to 50 minutes of cooking. Monitor the process from time to time, making sure nothing boils over or sticks to the pan. Add more water if necessary.
• [optional step: apple] After 25 minutes of braising (somewhere around the half-way mark), add an apple. Peel one small sweet apple (weighing roughly 3.5 oz / 100 g before peeling) and chop it finely. You can also grate it instead (using the largest holes). Add the apple pieces into the sauerkraut and continue braising.
• [optional step: bacon] As the braising is nearing the end, let's fry the bacon: Chop the smoked bacon into cubes (or small pieces) and fry them up on a separate frying pan until lightly golden. Usually bacon renders enough of its own fat, so no additional cooking fat is required - but if your bacon is very lean, feel free to grease the pan with some oil.
• Add fried bacon into the braised kraut, fold it in.
• Add chopped onions into the same frying pan (same one we used for cooking bacon). Sauté them for a few minutes until they turn translucent.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour into the onions, and stir them in (with a pan-friendly spoon or a spatula).
• Add in half a cup of water and stir continuously. Increase the heat and bring into a near-boil (keep on stirring!).
• Move the contents of the frying pan (onions + roux) into the braising sauerkraut. Stir everything together.
• Have a little taste. Does it need some more salt and pepper? If so, season it a bit more, I usually do. If it tastes a bit too acidic for your liking, add a pinch of sugar. Stir everything together and switch off the heat.
• [optional step] Chop fresh dill finely and fold it into the sauerkraut. Serve hot.

BRAISED PORK CHOPS WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Melt the butter or lard in a skillet and quickly brown the pork chops on both sides. Place on platter and set aside.
• Arrange the bacon in the bottom of a large dutch oven or braising pan.
• Rinse the sauerkraut in a colander and squeeze out as much water as you can. (You can skip this step if you like a stronger flavor). Place half of it on top of the bacon.
• Place the sliced onions over the sauerkraut and sprinkle with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
• Arrange the pork chops on top of the onions, and pour in any collected juices.Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the garlic.
• Add the rest of the sauerkraut, sprinkle with pepper and pour over as much beer as you need to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook one hour. The pot should never get completely dry.
• Note: I find 2 lbs sauerkraut to be enough, but if you have hearty eaters, you might want the larger quantity. I do not add additional salt.

BRAISED CABBAGE AND SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Melt butter in a heavy casserole. Add mushrooms and saute over high heat until mushrooms begin to brown.
• Lower heat to medium, stir in onion and garlic and saute until they are tender. Add cabbage, sauerkraut, chicken broth and wine. Mix to distribute the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add bay leaf, cover and place in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours until virtually all liquid in pan has been absorbed. Remove bay leaf. Check seasonings.
• Serve directly from the casserole or transfer to a serving dish. Sour cream sprinkled with poppy seeds should be served alongside.

BRAISED SAUERKRAUT WITH LOTS OF PORK

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the ribs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Set a medium saucepan on high heat and add the pigs' feet, wine and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the coriander seeds, toasting them until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, lightly crush the seeds. Set aside.
• Return the Dutch oven to the heat and add the olive oil. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the bratwurst and cook, turning occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Turn down the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pot. Toss in the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook until the apples and onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.
• Add the wine and pigs' feet. Simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the sauerkraut, rib tips, 3/4 cup water, carrots, coriander seeds, remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well, then nestle the pork chop in the sauerkraut.
• Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the pork chop and add the bratwurst. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Simmer, uncovered, until the juices have thickened and the meat is tender, another 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes and chopped parsley.

BRAISED PORK LOIN WITH SAUERKRAUT AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat oil in dutch oven over medium high heat.
• Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides in oil and transfer to plate.
• Melt butter in same pan. Add onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the brown sugar; cook stirring until onions begin to caramelize, another 4 minutes.
• Add the mustard and sauerkraut; stir until combined and then pour in the broths. Bring to a boil stirring to loosen any browned bits in the pan.
• Return the meat to pan. Cover and reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender, about 3-4 hours.
• Remove the meat from the pan and cover loosely with foil. Bring the sauerkraut to a boil and reduce the liquid by half.
• Carve the meat and serve with the sauerkraut.
• Serves 10.

BEER-BRAISED HOT DOGS WITH BRAISED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• For sauerkraut:
• Simmer sauerkraut, beer, and sugar in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Season with pepper.
• For hot dogs:
• Bring beer and sugar to simmer in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add hot dogs; simmer until dogs plump and beer syrup coats lightly, about 8 minutes. Transfer dogs to grill; reserve syrup. Top each bun with grilled hot dog and sauerkraut; drizzle with reserved beer syrup. Serve with mustard.

RIESLING-BRAISED SAUERKRAUT AND APPLES

Steps:

• Cover sauerkraut with cold water by 1 inch in a large bowl and soak 5 minutes, then drain in a colander. Repeat soaking and draining once more, pressing on sauerkraut.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Peel and core apples and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Cook shallot and onion in butter in a 4- to 5-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add apples, bacon, wine, broth, thyme, juniper berries, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer, then stir in sauerkraut. Cover pot with foil, then lid, and braise in middle of oven until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, simmer cream and schnapps in a 2-quart saucepan until reduced to about 1 cup, about 40 minutes.
• Add cream mixture, salt, and pepper to sauerkraut and stir well.
• Available at many supermarkets and Penzeys Spices (800-741-7787).

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS IN SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken on all sides with salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl in oil. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onion to skillet. Cook, scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in carrots and sauerkraut until well combined.
• Transfer sauerkraut mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Nestle chicken legs in mixture, cover with parchment-lined foil, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to 425 degrees, and bake until top is lightly caramelized and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken legs (without touching bone) registers 165 degrees, about 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.