Choucroute garnie traditionally combines sausages and thick chunks of bacon with larger cuts of meat like smoked pork chops and even hunks of pork shoulder. This faster version includes only sausages and bacon. The grated potato adds body and silkiness to the sauerkraut, which, if not homemade (see page 143), should be purchased refrigerated (not canned).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Heat the fat in a heavy, shallow 3-quart enameled cast-iron pot or other heatproof baking dish over low heat. Sauté the onions until soft and fragrant but not browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, season lightly with salt, and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sauerkraut, bay leaves, juniper berries, peppercorns, wine, and just enough stock to nearly cover the sauerkraut. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
Step 3
Nestle the bacon into the sauerkraut, cover, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the bacon is starting to render. Remove the cover and add the sausages in one layer, pushing them down a bit into the sauerkraut, which should still be quite moist. If it seems dry, moisten it with a little additional chicken stock. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the top of the sauerkraut is golden and the sausages and bacon are cooked through and browned. Bring the dish to the table and serve with strong mustard and lots of cold beer or white wine.
