Express sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (choucroute in French) is a traditional Alsatian recipe. It consists of fermented cabbage slowly cooked with white wine, potatoes and a variety of salted pork meats. This is a simplified and fairly quick version.
2 hours 25 min.
Easy
6 people
11 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 6 people, you will need:
- 1
500 ml raw sauerkraut - 2
1 Morteau sausage - 3
250 ml smoked pork belly (or thick cut streaky bacon) - 4
250 ml pork shoulder - 5
500 ml potatoes - 6
1 glass dry white wine - 7
1 onion - 8
3 tablespoons goose fat - 9
½ lemon - 10
salt - 11
pepper
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 45 min.
Cooking: 1 hour 45 min.
All in all: 2 hours 25 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 2 - 20 min.
Peel and wash medium size 500 ml potatoes.
If they are too big, cut into 2 or 4, it's important that they are of similar size for even cooking.
If they are too big, cut into 2 or 4, it's important that they are of similar size for even cooking.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
Cut 250 ml smoked pork belly (or thick cut streaky bacon) and 250 ml pork shoulder into fairly large pieces.
Melt 3 tablespoons goose fat in a large pan on high heat fire, and when lightly smoking add pieces of meat.
Melt 3 tablespoons goose fat in a large pan on high heat fire, and when lightly smoking add pieces of meat.
Stage 4 - 10 min.
Brown all over. This is not to cook the meat, so it only takes 1 or 2 minutes each side.
When meat is browned, remove from pan and leave on a plate.
If you have a lot of meat, do this in stages.
When meat is browned, remove from pan and leave on a plate.
If you have a lot of meat, do this in stages.
Stage 5 - 1 min.
When all the meat is removed, add chopped onion, salt, pepper and mix well.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Cook onion gently on its own for 2 minutes without letting it colour (it should not fry).
Stage 7 - 1 min.
Add 500 ml raw sauerkraut, stir well.
Stage 8 - 5 min.
Pour in 1 glass dry white wine, if possible a wine from Alsace like Sylvaner or Riesling, stir again.
Stage 9 - 30 min.
Put meat on top and 1 Morteau sausage that has been pricked all over with a sharp knife. Turn heat to low, cover, and leave to cook for 30 minutes (or more).
Stage 10 - 1 hour
Stage 11 - 5 min.
Choucroute should be served at the table: the whole dish is put in the centre of the table; one of the guests cuts the sausage into thick slices, then everyone serves himself and can come back for more.
Remarks
Sauerkraut is one of those amazing dishes that can be reheated any number of times, each time tasting even better. The very best, in my opinion, is when the cabbage starts to brown a little and caramalise - a real treat.
you can adapt the recipe to your taste, or what you have available. However, it's a worth including at least one piece of smoked pork; the taste is so different, and so good!
As for wine, I would insist a dry white is best. I'm not a fan of Gewurztraminer, which seems too aromatic and sweet for this dish, but it's a matter of personal taste.
Of course this is not "the" Alsatian sauerkraut recipe, so no need to send in barbed comments on the subject...
you can adapt the recipe to your taste, or what you have available. However, it's a worth including at least one piece of smoked pork; the taste is so different, and so good!
As for wine, I would insist a dry white is best. I'm not a fan of Gewurztraminer, which seems too aromatic and sweet for this dish, but it's a matter of personal taste.
Of course this is not "the" Alsatian sauerkraut recipe, so no need to send in barbed comments on the subject...
And to drink?
An Alastian wine of course, otherwise a dry white.
Why not drink the same one you use in the recipe?
Or a good beer?
Why not drink the same one you use in the recipe?
Or a good beer?
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, covered by a plastic film.
Source: Home made, but this recipe is dedicated to my great aunts Marthe and Suzanne from Guebwiller where I ate my first Alsatian choucroute a long long time ago...
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 150 RDI=60 % | 140 RDI=10 % | 270 RDI=40 % | 3,620 RDI=180 % | 15,180 RDI: 180 % |
| Per 100 g | 6 RDI=3 % | 6 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 170 RDI=8 % | 700 RDI: 8 % |
| Per person | 20 RDI=9 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=7 % | 600 RDI=30 % | 2,530 RDI: 30 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 6 people : 11.05 €
- Per person : 1.85 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Raw sauerkraut
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Potatoes
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Pork shoulder
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Smoked pork belly (or thick cut streaky bacon)
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