Simplified Choucroute Garni For Crock Pot Pork Chopssauerk Food

CHOUCROUTE GARNI

Steps:

• In a 24-quart pot with a lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add sauerkraut, and stir to combine; transfer half of the mixture to a large bowl.
• Place pork loin, pork belly, pork butt, and both bacons in pot; top with reserved sauerkraut mixture. Place cloves, bay leaves, juniper berries, and cumin in a piece of cheesecloth; tie with a piece of kitchen twine to enclose. Add to pot along with wine, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and cover; cook until meats are cooked through and tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Add all sausages to pot, and cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Generously salt water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Drain.
• To serve, place mound of sauerkraut in the center of a large platter. Slice meats and add to platter along with potatoes; garnish with parsley and serve with mustards.

SLOW-COOKER CHOUCROUTE

Steps:

• Stud each onion quarter with a clove. Layer the bacon, sauerkraut, garlic, onion quarters, herb sprigs, bay leaves, pork chops, kielbasa, apples, and potatoes in the slow cooker in the order listed, then pour the wine and gin over the top. Cover the cooker and set it on LOW. Cook until the pork is falling off the bones and the potatoes are fork-tender, at least 6 and up to 8 hours.
• Arrange the meats, potatoes, apples, onions, garlic, and sauerkraut on a large platter. Serve with pumpernickel rye bread, mustards, cornichons, and horseradish.

SIMPLIFIED CHOUCROUTE GARNI FOR CROCK POT (PORK CHOPS&SAUERK

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix seasoning, salt and pepper. (I didn't measure these, I just seasoned each layer with a little sprinkle of each).
• Coat slow cooker with nonstick spray. Layer potatoes, pork chops, kielbasa, apples and sauerkraut (in that order). Season each layer with spice mix. Pour wine over top of sauerkraut.
• Cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Stir in thawed peas and cook additional 30 minutes.
• remove pork chops and cut each into thick slices against the grain. Stir back into mixture and serve.

SHORTCUT CHOUCROUTE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Core the cabbage; cut it into wide ribbons and scatter in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Drain the sauerkraut and spread it on top of the cabbage. Halve the onions and nestle them among the vegetables. Tuck in the bay leaves and sprinkle with the caraway seeds or juniper berries and lots of black pepper.
• Put the meat and sausages on top of everything and pour in the wine or other liquid. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and cover tightly with foil. Transfer to the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 2 hours.
• Test the pork shoulder by inserting a fork into the thickest part: If it slides out easily, turn the oven up to 450 degrees, leave the pan uncovered and return it to the oven until the meat and the vegetables brown a bit, another 25 to 30 minutes. If the pork isn't fork-tender, re-cover the pan and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes before proceeding.
• To serve, just break the pork into chunks with two forks and set the pan on the table with a serving spoon and plates, plenty of roughly torn baguettes and crocks of mustard and butter. Don't bother removing the bay leaves unless they really bug you.

CROCK POT CHOUCROUTE GARNI

Steps:

• Drain sauerkraut well. Place in bottom of crock pot.
• Sauté bacon in hot skillet for 5 minutes. Add oil, onion and carrot, and sauté until onion is golden and soft.
• Stir bacon mixture and grated apple into sauerkraut.
• Add kielbasa to sauerkraut. (I use Hillshire Farms "Light" Kielbasa.) Tuck juniper and bouquet garni into cheesecloth and add to crock pot. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Add wine, and just enough chicken broth to cover.
• Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Remove cheesecloth, then stir in chopped parsley before serving.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and pumpernickel or dark rye bread.

QUICK CHOUCROUTE GARNIE

Steps:

• Cut the sausage into 3-inch lengths, then halve lengthwise.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, cut side down, and cook until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes.
• Turn over sausage; add onions, and sauté until onions are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.