Braised Sauerkraut With Lots of Pork

Name: Braised Sauerkraut With Lots of Pork
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork rib tips or country ribs, rinsed and patted dry; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 pigs’ feet, halved lengthwise (have your butcher do the cutting), rinsed and patted dry; 2 cups not-too-dry white wine; 2 bay leaves; 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 4 bratwurst, smoked or unsmoked; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced; 3 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick; 1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped; 3 pounds sauerkraut, rinsed and drained; 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 large smoked pork chop; Boiled potatoes, for serving; Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 3 hours
Rating: 4(190)
Comments: Read comments

Two classic mixed braises always come to mind at this time of year. One is cassoulet, based on white beans and a blend of goose, duck and pork. The better alternative for my purposes was choucroute garnie, a vat of simmering sauerkraut that serves as a nice bed on which to mix and match a variety of pig parts.

The beauty of a choucroute is that it lets you use whatever pork products you like or have on hand. A couple of hours later, the meat is cooked through while the sauerkraut has absorbed all the porky, smoky flavors, utterly transforming from pickled and puckery into something brawny in flavor and meltingly soft, especially if you add a couple of apples to bring out the cabbage’s sweeter nature.

Pigs’ feet are not necessarily traditional in choucroute, but they add excellent flavor and body to the mix. If you are like my husband and prefer to eat your meat with a knife and fork (and I know that he is not alone in that department), you can always leave them out.

Featured in: Pigs’ Feet That Don’t Step on Anyone’s Toes

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

2pounds pork rib tips or country ribs, rinsed and patted dry
2teaspoons kosher salt
1teaspoon ground black pepper
2pigs’ feet, halved lengthwise (have your butcher do the cutting), rinsed and patted dry
2cups not-too-dry white wine
2bay leaves
1½teaspoons coriander seeds
1tablespoon olive oil
4bratwurst, smoked or unsmoked
4tablespoons unsalted butter
2medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
3tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick
1fat garlic clove, finely chopped
3pounds sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1large smoked pork chop
Boiled potatoes, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the ribs with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set a medium saucepan on high heat and add the pigs’ feet, wine and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the coriander seeds, toasting them until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, lightly crush the seeds. Set aside.
Step 3
Return the Dutch oven to the heat and add the olive oil. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the bratwurst and cook, turning occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Turn down the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pot. Toss in the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook until the apples and onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.
Step 4
Add the wine and pigs’ feet. Simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the sauerkraut, rib tips, ¾ cup water, carrots, coriander seeds, remaining teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well, then nestle the pork chop in the sauerkraut.
Step 5
Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the pork chop and add the bratwurst. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Simmer, uncovered, until the juices have thickened and the meat is tender, another 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes and chopped parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5

190 user ratings

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Comments

maitland7 years ago

[1] Smoked ham hock, instead of pigs feet & smoked pork chop. Worked well; [2] Extra carrot; [3] Served with egg noodles. Great! [4] Simmered in oven to reduce.

Peter5 years ago

My wife's grandmother endeared herself to me many years ago while I was in college when she insisted I would get very sick if I did not have a beer or two while eating her fabulous sauerkraut with pork chops, very similar to this recipe. I have followed that advice religiously ever since. I make this several times a year but without the pigs' feet. Every now and then I throw in some kielbasa.

hazelfield3 years ago

Like everyone else, I pretty much followed Mellisa’s recipe but virtually everyone dropped the pigs foot. it was at least a consistent departure that came across as a cultural perhaps geographic pattern that some how put the trotters beyond the pale. Her opening paean to mixed parts including the feet made clear that all parts of the ‘whole hog’ were legitimate and desirable. As i had a nice package of fresh pig’s cheeks,after searing them along with one trotter, the results were five star

SusanB7 months ago

Very good. I did omit the pig's feet and the carrots, and subbed chicken broth for the water. Still, I missed a certain richness by not using duck fat for the browning and also missed the slight sharpness from caraway seeds, so I plan to add those back when I fix this again (which I certainly will do).

some changes1 year ago

The lowbrow version of this: Eliminated the pigs feet, added 2 hot dogs instead, cut up Cut up thick slices of port loin—-much less fat. Equally delicious meat Used BEER instead of wine Threw in the coriander seeds with the sauerkraut Excellent quick and dirty version

PJ2 years ago

Silly not to brown the ribs after the brats… turn the oven down to 300’F to guarantee juicy - you may just need to cook 20-45 minutes longer.

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