Two Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Recipes

These Old World Cabbage Dishes Are Labors of Love

Sep 21, 2009 Jan Czech

The technique for fermenting cabbage to make sauerkraut came to America with European immigrants who also brought with them a host of recipes.

Sauerkraut based dishes were commonplace a decade or two ago. Recipes from countries like Poland and Germany were replicated with love in American homes, perhaps by foreign born grandmothers or mothers. Here are family recipes for two such dishes, sauerkraut soup and pig’s feet and sauerkraut, which are not familiar to many. But if the home cook is up for an adventure in culinary cuisine they will hit the spot.

Ingredients Needed for Sauerkraut Soup:

  • ½ to 1 pound ground beef
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 beef bouillon cubes
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 pound sauerkraut – store bought or homemade
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 peppercorns
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
  • Yogurt or sour cream to taste

How to Prepare Sauerkraut Soup

  1. Fry hamburger in large frying pan. Drain grease and transfer to large pot.
  2. Boil water and dissolve bouillon cubes and add to pot.
  3. Rinse and drain sauerkraut. Add to pot.
  4. Dice potato, chop onion, slice carrots and add to pot.
  5. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves.
  6. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The soup is best if refrigerated over night. Skim fat and reheat to boiling. Ladle into bowls. Top with yogurt or sour cream. Add a dash of dill weed and serve. Makes about 6 servings.

Ingredients for Pigs Feet and Sauerkraut

  • Six pig’s feet, split. (pig’s feet may not be in the meat case at a local supermarket but you can find them at specialty butcher shops or order them from your local butcher).
  • 2 quarts sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
  • 6-8 small potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 tart apple, peeled, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • Dry white wine

How to Prepare Pigs Feet and Sauerkraut

  1. Parboil pig’s feet.
  2. Place two of the feet in the bottom of a heavy casserole dish, cast iron pot or other heavy cooking vessel.
  3. Put a layer of sauerkraut on top, followed by a layer of potatoes.
  4. Repeat with alternate layers of pig’s feet, sauerkraut, and potatoes.
  5. Finish with a layer of apples and onions.
  6. Top with a layer of caraway seeds.
  7. Add enough wine to cover and bake at 325 degrees until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Serves 8-10.

These dishes may seem foreign – and they are – but if the home cook is interested in the world of culinary culture, or simply wants to introduce her family to something new, they are a fine place to begin.

The copyright of the article Two Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Recipes in Recipes is owned by Jan Czech. Permission to republish Two Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Recipes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Sauerkraut is Fermented Cabbage, biberta Sauerkraut is Fermented Cabbage
   
What do you think about this article?
NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.
post your comment
What is 6+3?