German Sauerkraut Recipe

German Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut directly translated means sour cabbage and is a very typical German food. Sauerkraut is finely sliced fermented cabbage and has a very distinctive sour flavour.

A popular German dish is Sauerkraut served with Schupfnudeln (potato noodles). However, you can serve your Sauerkraut with roast pork or sausages. It is a popular beer garden food. My two sons particularly enjoy it served with their favourite sausages.

Sauerkraut, like all cabbage recipes, is of course, very healthy, full of vitamin C and other nutrients. However, one word of warning, if you are not used to eating it, be careful, as it can upset the stomach.

My husband had a very near miss once in München, however, that is a story for another day. And anyway he would kill me if I put it on the net!

My German Sauerkraut recipe calls for the Sauerkraut canned variety. To make your life easier of course.

Canned Sauerkraut

Enough for 4 people

1 large onion
1 dessert spoon oil
800g Sauerkraut (from the can)
100ml dry white wine
400ml vegetable broth
1 thick slice of cooked ham
5 black peppecorns
2 juniper berries, lightly squeezed
1 bay leaf
2 dessert spoons of apple puree or compote
1 dessert spoon butter
sugar
cayenne pepper

Peel the onion and chop finely. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion gently until clear and glassy. Add the Sauerkraut and heat through. Add the white wine and simmer until all the wine is soaked in.

Add the broth and the chopped ham and let it stew for 45 minutes over a low heat. Meanwhile put all the herbs in a muslin bag and tie securely. After half an hour cooking time add the herb sack and the apple puree.

After the remaining 15 minutes, remove the herb sack. Add the butter and let it melt through. Add cayenne pepper, sugar and salt to taste.

Variations of German Sauerkraut

Creamed Sauerkraut
At the end of the cooking time add 50g cream and 3 dessert spoons of butter to the Sauerkraut.

Champagne Sauerkraut
Replace the white wine with champagne. Pheasant would be a suitable meat to serve with champagne Sauerkraut.

Curried Sauerkraut
Replace 150ml of the broth with coconut milk from a can or carton. At the end of the cooking time, add 1-2 teaspoons of mild curry powder. Curried Sauerkraut is excellent served with grilled sausages, roast chicken or turkey.

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