Braised sauerkraut

Sauerkraut gets a bad rep because it is often too, well, sour. That may be OK on a Nathan’s hot dog from a street cart in New York City, but not too appealing otherwise. The cooking technique really mellows the tartness, resulting in a rich flavor that goes well with roast pork, many kinds of sausages, duck, goose, etc. You really want to use fresh kraut, not canned. You’ll find it in the refrigerated section, in plastic bags.

1 lb fresh sauerkraut
1/2 c carrots in large dice
1/2 c coarsely chopped onion
2 bay leaves
black pepper
1/2 c dry vermouth or dry white wine
4 TB unsalted butter

Put the kraut in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then drain. Repeat. Drain well.

In a deep 12 inch saute pan with a cover, melt the butter and sauté the  carrot and onion for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the kraut and stir to coat with the butter. Bury the bay leaves in the kraut and add several grindings of pepper. Add the vermouth and 1/2 c of water and bring to a slow simmer, then cover. Simmer 45 min to an hour, stirring every 10 min or so and adding more water if needed. Uncover for the last little while and let most of the liquid simmer away—the final dish should be moist but not runny.

Variations: use chicken or beef stock, preferably low-salt, in place of water.

Explore posts in the same categories: Sides, Vegetables/potatoes/rice, Vegetarian