Sauerkraut For Canning Food

SAUERKRAUT SOUP WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Cook until the sausage is caramelized and the fat is rendered, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cider and cook until almost completely reduced. Add the sauerkraut, broth, potatoes, thyme and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and sauerkraut are very tender and the broth is flavorful, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately, with hot, crusty bread on the side.

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.

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.)

HAM, BEAN AND BACON SOUP WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the bacon and brown. Remove the bacon, and reserve. Add the ham and brown, then remove and reserve. Melt in the butter, and add the garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots and bay leaf. Partially cover and cook to soften, 10 minutes. Add the stock, 2 cups water, the reserved ham and bacon, the sauerkraut and beans, and simmer until potatoes are cooked and soup flavor combines, 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cool completely and store for a make-ahead meal.
• To serve, reheat over medium heat. Add the parsley just before serving and pass bread at the table.

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.

QUICK SAUERKRAUT WITH GRILLED BRATS AND MUSTARD BAR

Steps:

• Preheat a grill for direct and indirect cooking.
• Toss the cabbage with the shallots, vinegar, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir well and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the brats on the indirect heat portion of the grill and grill, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, 15 to 18 minutes. Move the brats over to the direct side of the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• While the brats finish grilling, melt the butter in a large skillet placed directly on the grill. Add the caraway seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sauerkraut and stir until well coated. Stir in the dill if using.
• Serve the bratwursts with the sauerkraut and assorted mustards on the side.

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.