Sauerkraut Chicken Food

EMERIL'S NEVER ENOUGH PORK BEER-BRAISED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the sauerkraut in a colander and rinse briefly to remove some of the salt from the brine-don't rinse it too much, or you will lose a lot of the flavor. (Alternatively, if the sauerkraut is not excessively salty, use as is.) Press to release most of the excess liquid and set aside. In a large nonreactive skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until most of the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and continue to cook until they are soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon-onion mixture to a nonreactive roasting pan or large ovenproof Dutch oven. Add the drained sauerkraut and toss to combine. Using a small piece of cheesecloth, make a bouquet garni with the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, and garlic and place in the baking dish. Add the ham hocks, chicken stock, and beer and stir to combine. Cover the casserole and bake, undisturbed, until ham hocks are mostly tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over high heat and brown the sausages on both sides. Set aside. Brown the pork chops and set aside.
• When the hocks are mostly tender, remove the casserole from the oven. Place the sausages on top of the sauerkraut. If the liquid has reduced to less than 2/3, add a bit more water. Cover the casserole and return it to the oven. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the sausages are tender and heated through. Add the pork chops and press them into the sauerkraut. Cover and return to the oven and cook until pork chops are heated through and tender, about 30 minutes longer. Remove the casserole from the oven and discard the bouquet garni. Serve immediately, with each person receiving some of each of the sausages, part of a hock, part of a pork chop and some of the sauerkraut. Pass the mustard at the table.

MARY BETH'S SAUERKRAUT BALLS

Steps:

• Using a food ricer, rice the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add the sauerkraut, ham, egg yolks, 1/4 cup of mustard and chopped green onions. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into small balls, about a tablespoon each. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the fryer. Season the flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs, with salt and pepper. Roll each sauerkraut ball in the flour, coating completely. Dip each in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Finally roll each in the bread crumbs. Fry the sauerkraut balls in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the fryer and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.
• In small mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of the mustard and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Serve the sauerkraut balls on a large platter with the mustard dipping sauce. Garnish with parsley.

SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Prepare a jar: Thoroughly wash and dry a wide-mouth quart mason jar in hot, soapy water.
• Prepare the cabbage and carrots: Cut the cabbage into quarters and cut out the core. Slice the cabbage as thinly as possible, working from crown to stem end. Place shredded cabbage into a large nonreactive bowl. Grate your carrots or other vegetables with a box grater, and add to the cabbage. Add the salt and mustard. Using your hands, toss to combine all ingredients, crushing the mixture until it begins to release liquid, about 5 minutes.
• Pack the sauerkraut: Place a wide-mouth funnel in the mouth of the jar. Pack the mixture into the jar, pressing down to squeeze out as much air and release more liquid. Tightly packed, there should be just enough to fill the quart jar to the shoulder, and liquid should rise above the cabbage mixture. Fill a smaller jar, like a half-pint or four-ounce jar, with water and seal. Place on top of the cabbage mixture to keep it submerged under the juices.
• Ferment the sauerkraut: Cover the jar with a clean towel, and allow to stand at room temperature. Check daily to make sure the cabbage is still submerged in liquid. If it is not, give the mixture a good press to release more juices. If the cabbage still does not stay submerged, add just enough water to bring the level up. After two or three days you should see bubbles forming. Eventually you may see scum or even mold on top. This is normal; just skim it away. Begin tasting your kraut after the third day. When it has reached the desired level of tartness, remove the smaller jar, screw on a lid, and keep the kraut several weeks in your refrigerator.

SAUSAGE AND KRAUT

Steps:

• Soak the sauerkraut in a bowl of warm water. Cover the potatoes with water in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Prick the sausages with a fork and add to the pot along with the pork; cook until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn the meats and add the onion, garlic, coriander, juniper berries, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onion is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the apple and cook 2 more minutes.
• Drain the sauerkraut, then add to the pot along with the wine and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, then uncover and cook until thickened, about 5 more minutes. Transfer the sauerkraut, meats and potatoes to a platter. Top with the parsley and serve with mustard.

THE ROOT CAFE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Remove papery outer leaves of the cabbage, then cut head into quarters and remove core. Set each quarter on a flat side and slice thinly crosswise with a sharp chef's knife. To every 2 pounds 3 ounces of sliced cabbage, add 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway in a 2-gallon glass or ceramic crock, then smash and stir with a wooden meat tenderizer (the goal is to break cell walls so that water will come out) and tamp down to get air out. Continue until all cabbage is chopped, seasoned and gently smashed. Mixture will produce its own brine from salting and smashing.
• Brine should completely cover cabbage by about 1/2 inch; if not, add necessary amount of brine made of 1/3 cup salt to 1 gallon water. Place a plate down inside crock on top of cabbage; weigh down with a clear plastic bag or two filled with brine.
• Put a breathable cloth on top that is big enough to cover the surface of the crock and tie gently with twine, tight enough to hold the cloth in place but loose enough to be slipped on and off. Check kraut daily, skimming any white mold from the top and making sure brine is high enough, adding more brine if necessary. (See Cook's Note.) After 1 week, begin tasting kraut for doneness. If more salt is needed, dissolve some in water and add to kraut.
• Kraut should be ready after about 2 to 4 weeks, depending on temperature. When the kraut is ready, transfer kraut to containers, then pour or ladle brine over kraut to cover. Put lids on containers and store in the fridge. (Once the sauerkraut is stored in the fridge fermentation and flavor development will stop.)

SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Cut cabbage in quarters and remove core. With a mandolin or food processor fitted with a 2-millimeter slicing blade, slice as thinly as possible. Place in a large bowl with salt and toss to combine.
• Transfer to a large glass or ceramic container and tap down by hand so liquid rises to top. Cover with a damp towel touching cabbage and top with a 3-pound weight. Cover again with a layer of plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 5 days to ferment. Sauerkraut may be kept in a sealed container in refrigerator as long as 3 weeks.

KIELBASA AND SAUERKRAUT SHEET PAN DINNER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn up four edges of a large piece of foil to make a rectangular tray (about 12 by 5 inches) for the sauerkraut; set aside
• On one side of the baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and sprinkle with some salt and pepper; spread the potatoes into an even layer. Place the kielbasa on the other side of the baking sheet, leaving an empty place in the center for the foil tray. Brush the kielbasa with the remaining olive oil. Roast until the kielbasa begins to brown in spots and the potatoes are almost completely tender, about 15 minutes.
• Toss the sauerkraut with the caraway seeds and spread into an even layer in the prepared foil baking tray. Place the foil tray in the center of the baking sheet. Roast until the potatoes are completely tender and browned, the sauerkraut is warmed through and the kielbasa is browned in spots, 15 minutes more. Divide sausage and vegetables between two plates and enjoy.

SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, mix cabbage thoroughly with salt, juniper berries, and caraway seeds, using hands or tongs. If using your hands, make sure that they are very clean prior to mixing. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Pack cabbage mixture down into a large plastic food container. Top with a lid smaller than the opening of the container and place a glass jar filled with the quart of water on top of the lid. Place in cool area overnight (65 to 70 degrees F). In a day, the cabbage should have given up enough liquid to be completely submerged. The jar serves as a weight to keep the cabbage submerged and away from air.
• Check cabbage every other day for approximately 2 weeks and skim the surface of scum, if necessary. Let stand for 4 weeks. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.