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Choucroute Garnie

by | Oct 3, 2015 | French

Choucroute is French for sauerkraut. You can find it in any French brasserie. It is great served with beer or Alsace Riesling and hearty rye bread. Our family always served it on Thanksgiving because it’s such a hearty cold weather dish. This version is a combination of my grandmother’s recipe and one that I found on the Williams-Sonoma website.

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Choucroute Garnie
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: French
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds store-bought sauerkraut, uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 yellow onions, minced
  • 4 bacon slices, diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 20 juniper berries
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups fruity white wine, preferably Riesling
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 8 pork sausages or 1 kielbasa sausage, about 2 pounds total
  • 1 smoked pork butt
  • 2 pounds smoked pork loin
  • 1 pound Canadian bacon
  • Few slices of boiled ham
  • 5-10 frankfurters (hot dogs)
  • 2 pound red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Place the sauerkraut in a large colander and rinse well with cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
  2. In a very large, heavy pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and bacon and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the bay leaves, cloves, juniper berries, garlic, wine, broth and sauerkraut. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently until the sauerkraut is tender and the flavors have blended, 2 to 2½ hours.
  3. Prick the sausages all over with a fork and add to the pot along with the potatoes. Add the pork butt, pork loin, canadian bacon, boiled ham, and frankfurters. Cover and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. To serve, remove the sausages and other meats from the pot and cut into slices and cubes. Return to the pot and mix well. Spoon the sauerkraut, sausages and potatoes onto a warmed platter and serve hot.