Best Red Sauerkraut Recipes

BEER-SIMMERED BRATWURST WITH ONIONS AND RED CABBAGE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high. Arrange the onion slices and garlic along the bottom of a medium stockpot. Place the bratwurst on top and then add the beer, water, coriander, caraway, mustard seeds, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over the grill grates or on a burner. Simmer the sausages in the mixture for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the bratwurst sit in the liquid for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sausages with a pair of tongs onto a platter. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Grill the sausages until the casings are crisp and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve the bratwurst on the buns with the onions, mustard and sauerkraut, if desired. Garnish with pickles, pickled beets, and pickled eggs, if desired.
• Preheat grill to high. In a medium saucepan, combine the oil, vinegar, water, and sugar over medium heat, and cook until the sugar has melted. Add the mustard seeds, garlic, and cabbage, and cook until the cabbage is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

RED CABBAGE AND APPLE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Remove any loose leaves from the cabbage head and reserve. Quarter the cabbage and thinly slice, on a mandoline if you have one. (The shreds should be about the thickness of a quarter.) Toss the cabbage in a large bowl with the pickling salt. Work the cabbage through your hands and massage for a minute or two, until the cabbage begins to "sweat" and release some water.
• Thinly slice, then julienne the green apple, leaving the peel on. (Again, use a mandoline if you have one.) Slice the ginger into coins and press with the side of your knife to bruise them slightly and release their oils. Add the apples, ginger and allspice berries to the cabbage and toss well. Let sit for an hour or two, until the cabbage has released quite a bit of water.
• Pack the cabbage mixture into a large, wide-mouthed crock and press down very firmly until the liquid the cabbage has released covers it. (Depending on the age of your cabbage, it may release less water; a fresher cabbage will release a lot of water, while a cabbage that has been stored all winter will release less.) If the cabbage is not covered, mix together 1 quart cold water and 4 1/2 teaspoons pickling salt until dissolved and pour over enough to cover the cabbage.
• Use a couple of the reserved whole cabbage leaves to cover the surface of the cabbage. Cover with a plate (or the weight provided, if you have a fermenting crock) and set something heavy on top to weight it. (You can use cans. Many people like to use a resealable plastic bag filled with the same salted water solution used above because it weights evenly and if it leaks, it doesn't ruin the fermentation process.) Store the crock in a cool, dry place.
• Check the kraut after 2 days. There should be a few bubbles around the sides. Skim any scum that has risen to the surface. Check the kraut every few days and repeat skimming, if needed. Depending on the temperature of your room, the kraut should be ready after about a week. (Some people ferment for a couple of weeks or more, depending on how funky they want their kraut to be.)
• Divide the kraut and pack into jars. Store in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse the kraut well (discarding any ginger pieces) before using.

SAUERKRAUT AND RED BEET BORSCHT

Steps:

• Wash, peel, and chop beets into bite sized pieces.
• In a large heavy skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter and add beets, sugar, tomato paste. Brown for a minute and add lemon juice. Saute a few minutes more and cover and let the beets simmer in juices until cooked through.
• Peel and chop onion and saute in two tablespoons of butter in a stock pot on low heat until glassy.
• Add sauerkraut and chicken stock and cook until the sauerkraut is tender. Add red beet mixture and stir until blended. If beets are still not done all the way bring soup to a low boil until cooked.
• Remove soup from stove and can add sour cream to make it a lighter rose color or wait and garnish with a dollop of sour cream after ladeling soup into bowls. Sprinkle parsley over the top and serve with slices of dark chewy bread.

RED ONION SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet (measuring about 12 inches across and 2 1/2 inches deep) heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion with cloves and juniper berries, stirring, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add cabbage, sauerkraut, sugar, wine, vinegar, and bay leaf and simmer stirring occasionally and adding water if mixture becomes dry, until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes. Sauerkraut may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Discard bay leaf and serve sauerkraut at room temperature.

RED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Brown bacon
• Add onion.
• Add sauerkraut, tomato sauce and brown sugar.
• Simmer 45 minutes.

RED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Brown bacon in a heavy dutch oven.
• Add rest of ingredients and simmer slowly for 1 hour.
• Stir often.