Sauerkraut is a traditional fermented cabbage dish that has been enjoyed for centuries. Originating in Germany, it is a staple in many European cuisines and is gaining popularity worldwide. Made from finely shredded cabbage that undergoes a lactic acid fermentation process, sauerkraut has a distinctive sour and tangy flavor. It is incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide variety of dishes, from classic German dishes like sauerbraten and schnitzel to modern salads, sandwiches, and even soups. This article provides several traditional sauerkraut recipes, including a basic sauerkraut recipe, a red cabbage sauerkraut recipe, and a sauerkraut with caraway seeds recipe. Whether you're looking for a classic side dish or a unique twist on a traditional dish, these recipes offer a delicious and authentic sauerkraut experience.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
BAVARIAN SAUERKRAUT
Bavarian sauerkraut - a regional recipe for the famous German sauerkraut. This is the perfect side dish for many German meat dishes.
Provided by Adina
Categories German Sides
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Prepare: Drain the sauerkraut. Finely chop the onions and cut the bacon into small cubes. Peel and dice the apple.
- Heat the fat in a saucepan. Cook the onions and the bacon for about 3 minutes on medium-low heat. Add the apple and stir for another 3 minutes.
- Caramelize: Sprinkle the sugar on top, stir and let caramelize slightly for about 1-2 minutes.
- Simmer: Add sauerkraut, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, cider/white wine/ apple juice. Stir well, cover, and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately or reheat.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 130 kcal, Carbohydrate 18 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 5 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Sodium 1204 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 11 g, UnsaturatedFat 3 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SAUERKRAUT WITH APPLE AND CARAWAY
Make and share this Sauerkraut With Apple and Caraway recipe from Food.com.
Provided by lazyme
Categories Apple
Time 1h10m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large heavy saucepan combine the sauerkraut, the apples, the wine, the broth, the brown sugar, and the caraway seeds and simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
- The sauerkraut may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 82.8, Fat 0.4, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 849.1, Carbohydrate 15.4, Fiber 3.7, Sugar 10.9, Protein 1.8
HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT
You only need two ingredients (and a little patience) to make fresh, zippy homemade sauerkraut at home. Put down that jar and get those brats ready! -Josh Rink, Taste of Home Food Stylist
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 45m
Yield 40 servings (about 10 cups).
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Quarter cabbages and remove cores; slice 1/8 in. thick. In an extra-large bowl, combine salt and cabbage. With clean hands, squeeze cabbage until it wilts and releases liquid, about 10 minutes. If desired, add optional ingredients., Firmly pack cabbage mixture into 4-quart fermenting crock or large glass container, removing as many air bubbles as possible. If cabbage mixture is not covered by 1-2 inches of liquid, make enough brine to cover by 1-2 inches. To make brine, combine 4-1/2 teaspoons canning salt per 1 quart of water in a saucepan; bring to a boil until salt is dissolved. Cool brine before adding to crock., Place crock weight over cabbage; the weight should be submerged in the brine. Or, place an inverted dinner plate or glass pie plate over cabbage. The plate should be slightly smaller than the container opening, but large enough to cover most of the shredded cabbage mixture. Weigh down the plate with 2 or 3 sealed quart jars filled with water. If using a glass container with a lid, cover the opening loosely so any gas produced by the fermenting cabbage can escape. Alternately, you can cover the opening with a clean, heavy towel. If using a crock, seal according to manufacturer's instructions. , Store crock, undisturbed, at 70°-75° for 3-4 weeks (bubbles will form and aroma will change). Cabbage must be kept submerged below surface of the fermenting liquid throughout fermentation. Check crock 2-3 times each week; skim and remove any scum that may form on top of liquid. Fermentation is complete when bubbling stops. Transfer to individual containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 11 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 344mg sodium, Carbohydrate 3g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.
CARAWAY SAUERKRAUT
Over the year, I've found that learning to cook with herbs and spices is fun and rewarding. With sauerkraut, bacon and caraway, this side dish really reflects my German heritage.-Trudi Johnson, Hixson, Tennessee
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 2h10m
Yield 18-20 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a 5-qt. Dutch oven, cook bacon and onion for 8-19 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in sauerkraut and caraway. Add water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add potato. Cook for 20 minutes or until potato is tender.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 57 calories, Fat 4g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 5mg cholesterol, Sodium 350mg sodium, Carbohydrate 4g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 1g protein.
BAVARIAN SAUERKRAUT
This recipe has to be the best tasting sauerkraut I've ever had. Traditionally, my family serves pork and sauerkraut every New Year's Day for luck in the coming year. I love cabbage as a general rule and like most sauerkraut recipes, but they can be quite sour depending on how it is prepared. Sadly I don't remember who gave me this recipe and who deserves the credit, since it was pulled from a collection of hand-written recipes I've kept for years. I made it as a side dish for New Year's Day dinner and it was a complete hit! This is certainly not your typical 'sour' sauerkraut recipe.
Provided by dutschd
Categories Side Dish
Time 50m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Place sauerkraut with juice into a large bowl and cover with water. Stir and use your hands to squeeze out as much of the water and juice as possible. Add squeezed sauerkraut to onion.
- Stir brown sugar, caraway seeds, chicken stock, and cooking sherry into the sauerkraut mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 52.3 calories, Carbohydrate 10.9 g, Cholesterol 0.3 mg, Fat 0.2 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 1.5 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 848.3 mg, Sugar 4.5 g
TRADITIONAL SAUERKRAUT WITH CARAWAY
Cabbage is perfect for fermenting because the cell walls are easily broken down with salt, and the juices that are released quite easily make the brine. While you are chopping and grating your cabbage, eat a piece raw. It will be crunchy and sweet. After fermentation it will be pretty crunchy still, shiny and alive-looking; the sugars will have been eaten by the lactobacillus bacteria (et al); and the sauer that you taste is the lactic acid cleverly produced by the lactobacillus. I'm salivating just writing this.
Provided by Sharon Flynn
Categories Cabbage Caraway Side
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Weigh the shredded cabbage (as cabbages vary in size and weight) to ensure the salt to cabbage ratio is correct. The amount of salt you use should come to about 1.5-2.5%, but no more than 3%, of the cabbage weight.
- In a large bowl, mix and massage the salt through the cabbage thoroughly, making sure to distribute the salt evenly.
- Let it sit to sweat a bit-maybe 10 minutes. This is simply to make the next step easier. This is a good time to get your vessel cleaned and to rest up for the next stage.
- With your pounder, pound quite energetically for about 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage is dripping with its own salty water when you pick up a handful. This part is important as you need this liquid-it's your brine.
- You can also use the dough hook of a stand mixer to do the pounding part, which can speed things up somewhat. Don't let it run for too long though, only a few minutes. Using a mixer is easy and great for people who are doing this a lot and in large batches, but it takes quite a bit of the emotional release and fun out of it.
- Next, mix in the caraway seeds (if using).
- Put the mixture into the jar, packing it down tightly as you go using the pounder. Push down well, particularly at the end to coax out any more brine. You need the brine to cover the cabbage.
- Don't pack the cabbage all the way to the top; leave some headroom at the top of the jar to allow for a bit of growth and movement and, of course, the weight. You don't want the liquid touching the top of the lid, as it will end up spewing out of your air-lock or up out of your lid.
- Cover with a cabbage leaf (the follower), the weight and then your chosen lid or system.
- Depending on your ferment, you can start trying it as soon as you'd like, but the less you fiddle with it in the first 2 weeks, the better. It is ready when you think it is delicious. With the right system and temperature, you can leave it to ferment for months before refrigeration.
- If you used a crock, you'll need to decant the kraut to smaller jars before you refrigerate, unless you have a walk-in cool room, or large cellar. (Lucky you.) It will keep in the fridge for 12 months or more. Use your senses.
SAUSAGE AND SAUERKRAUT
This is a recipe from a sweet old German lady I used to attend church with. Allow for plenty of time to prepare and cook this dish. It is definitely worth the time and effort! Serve with hot German potato salad and red cabbage.
Provided by DOEMARK
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 3h35m
Yield 5
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place the sauerkraut, caraway seeds, brown sugar, and apple into a large saucepan over medium-low heat, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Place the bacon and onion into a skillet over medium heat, and cook until the bacon is almost crisp and the onion is beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir the bacon mixture into the sauerkraut. In the same skillet, brown the kielbasa sausage in the remaining bacon grease until the sausage begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes; stir into the sauerkraut mixture. Spoon the sauerkraut and sausage mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 777.2 calories, Carbohydrate 28.6 g, Cholesterol 128.2 mg, Fat 62.3 g, Fiber 6.5 g, Protein 24.6 g, SaturatedFat 26.4 g, Sodium 2702.1 mg, Sugar 20.2 g
SAUERKRAUT WITH GIN AND CARAWAY
Provided by Molly Wizenberg
Categories Gin Vegetarian Quick & Easy Low Cal Healthy Caraway Bon Appétit
Yield Makes 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Combine sauerkraut, gin, and caraway seeds in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, until gin is reduced by slightly more than half, stirring occasionally (sauerkraut will still be crunchy and gin and caraway flavors will be absorbed), about 30 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve warm.
Tips:
- To make the best sauerkraut, start with fresh, firm cabbage. Avoid using cabbage that is wilted or has brown spots.
- Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the cabbage. This will help the sauerkraut ferment evenly.
- Add plenty of salt to the cabbage. This will help to draw out the water and create a brine that will inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Pack the cabbage tightly into a clean crock or jar. This will help to create an anaerobic environment that is ideal for fermentation.
- Cover the cabbage with a weight to keep it submerged in the brine. This will help to prevent the growth of mold and other unwanted microorganisms.
- Store the sauerkraut in a cool, dark place for several weeks. The fermentation process will take place during this time, and the sauerkraut will develop its characteristic sour flavor.
Conclusion:
Traditional sauerkraut with caraway is a delicious and healthy food that can be enjoyed in many different ways. It is a good source of probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can help to improve gut health. Sauerkraut is also a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients. If you are looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy cabbage, try making your own traditional sauerkraut with caraway. You won't be disappointed!
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