Choucroute Royale Braised Sauerkraut Recipes

LE CHOUCROUTE DU BARON

Steps:

• Drain and rinse with sauerkraut with cold water, then leave it to drain in a colander. Melt 4 tablespoons of the fat in a large flameproof casserole. Add the onions and saute them over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Spread half of the sauerkraut over the onions, first squeezing it in your fists to extract all the water. Set the apple, both kinds of bacon, the smoked sausages, and smoked pork loin to top. Sprinkle with juniper berries and add seasoning, mainly pepper. Cover the meat with the rest of the sauerkraut, squeezing it dry also, and pour over the wine. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the casserole and press it directly on top of the sauerkraut. Cover and simmer on top of the stove until the sauerkraut is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About halfway through cooking, pour over the schnapps.
• Half an hour before the sauerkraut is cooked, put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water, cover and bring them to a boil. Simmer until tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and keep them warm, peeling them just before serving.
• Heat 1 tablespoon fat in a frying pan and cook the cured pork chops until well done, 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Add them to the casserole 15 minutes before the sauerkraut is cooked. Warm the frankfurters in very hot water until heated through, about 1 minute. Leave them in the water to keep warm, draining them just before serving.
• To serve, taste the sauerkraut and adjust the seasoning. Lift out both kinds of bacon and the pork loin and carve them in generous slices. Drain the sauerkraut well and pile it on a large heated platter. Arrange the meats and sausages on top, with the potatoes around the edge. Pass mustard at the table.

ALSATIAN CHOUCROUTE

Steps:

• Wash sauerkraut thoroughly, put aside. In a rondeau melt the duck fat and saute the onion until tender, add garlic bay leaves, juniper berries and thyme. Saute until golden brown, deglaze with Reisling wine. Add 1/2 of the sauerkraut, place bacon slab and ham shanks in the middle and then top with remaining sauerkraut. Pour chicken stock over making sure it covers the sauerkraut (if not enough, add water). Cover the pan with foil and place in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 1 1/2 hours. Wash red bliss potatoes and steam whole for 30 to 40 minutes. Peel potatoes and set aside. Cut sausages in half and warm in boiling water. Place pork chops in oven to warm. Take sauerkraut out of the oven and remove bacon and ham shanks. Slice the bacon in half. Remove pork chops out of oven. Place sauerkraut in the center of a large oval tray, place all meats around sauerkraut, place bacon and ham shanks, on top of sauerkraut. Place warm potatoes around with the meat, Serve Dijon mustard on the side.

BRAISED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Place the drained sauerkraut in the insert of a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, caraway seeds, thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries or gin, and black pepper. Combine them thoroughly with a fork or with your hands. Scatter the kielbasa on top and bury the hocks in the sauerkraut. Pour in the wine and broth. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours, until the juices are bubbling and the sauerkraut has lost its crunch.
• Remove the smoked hocks. If there is any meat on them, remove it and add it to the sauerkraut. Discard the bay leaves. Serve the braised sauerkraut as is with boiled potatoes, or use as a base for choucroute garni.