Sauerkraut and Apples Recipe (2024)

Ratings

5

out of 5

223

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

BNH

Left out the bacon to make it vegetarian. Added another couple of tablespoons of butter to replace the bacon fat. It was outrageously good.

JM

Yup, I grew up in Maryland. And yes we always had sauerkraut with turkey. And most people think we're nuts. So thank you for the validation and for this great recipe.

Very nice

We always had sauerkraut at family festivities in NY. Usually made with kielbasa. We still make it for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. But, today, I had a pork tenderloin and wondering what to do with it? A quick look in the fridge: I have half a red onion, 3/4 jar kraut, Apple Cider beer, and apples on the counter. Brown the tenderloin, sauté the onions, apples, kraut, etc... and follow the rest of the recipe. Throw the browned pork on top and into the oven. Voila! Easy peasy.

Carajo

If you rinse the sauerkraut-as called for in the recipe-it will diminish the flavor. I made that mistake once. You may want to give it another try without rinsing, and leave out the bacon if you don't like it. ALSO-grate the peeled apples and onions.

Ann

Mashed potatoes mixed with kraut on your plate...divine!

Ann

Always kraut with turkey. Grew up in MD too!

Ann

My grandmother used to make this, usually without bacon. I hated the apples because I love the tartness of kraut. I'd add ACV to cut the sweetness from the apples. She used to make some separately just for me saying that's how she liked it but everyone else didn't. Miss her. I make my own sauerkraut from scratch now. Wonderfully lacto-fermented. Grammy would have proud!

Eileen

This is great. Reminds me of Grandma. I used hard apple cider instead of beer and it came out great. Baked it with good sliced smoked sausage on top.

deborah

Excellent exactly as written. However, I did follow one person’s suggestion to shred the onion and apple. And another person’s suggestion to not rinse the sauerkraut. Rinsing the sauerkraut takes away the probiotic goodness of it and the sour flavor.

Mark

It's delightful as is, and, as noted, great substituting apple cider, alcoholic or non, or a Germanic white, such as a crisp Riesling, for the beer. I often add a sprig or two of thyme. Btw I associate this with Pennsylvania Dutch Thanksgiving traditions. Perhaps it migrated down to neighboring Maryland?

Bill A

I'm going to try this with a half dozen smoked apple bratwurst I picked up at a local shop.

Patricia

I hate beer so I used 16 oz of Chardonnay . I also added 4 Shish*to peppers for some spice ( cause Texas) and used butter instead of bacon. Turned out quite nice

fletch

I have made this several times. Always a hit and serves 6-8 people generously

Laura

1- small onion thinly sliced5 slices Amish smoked bacon 1- 16oz jar Vlassic Sauerkraut, drained. 1- grated granny smith appleHandful of mushrooms sliced 1- bottle Guinness 5 browned on stove Amish Bratwurst, placed on top.Ingredients were Prepared on stove, baked in 350 oven 1 hour My German Mother made it this way minus the beer.Made me super nostalgic.

Lori in Vancouver

I grew up in a community with lots of Eastern Europeans where sauerkraut was a New Years tradition. My mom cooked sauerkraut in a large pot in the oven, with pork and cooked low & slow until the pork fell off the bone. Now, a vegetarian, I skipped the pork when using this recipe, replaced apples with carrots (although I usually do love apples in my kraut), reduced the butter to 4T, added a bay leaf, oregano, dill & 2 cloves garlic. Delicious! Serve with perogies, potato dumplings or gnocchi.

Cathy

I made this as written. It was delicious, and a big hit at the family reunion.

Mark

This is actually more of a Pennsylvania tradition that migrated south to Maryland along the Susquehanna. Still delicious!

Jon B.

Any recipe that starts out with sauteeing bacon in butter gets a big thumbs-up from me. Here's another vote for not rinsing the sauerkraut. Or draining it, for that matter. No need to incorporate a lot of brine, but no need to be afraid of it either; the tartness of the kraut is the whole point here. I've made this several times, using homemade sauerkraut (which is a million times better than any commercial version) and dry hard cider. It's wonderful, much more than the sum of its parts.

Irene

I added a 12ozcan of beer, does not look like enough liquid. What should I add if anything?

visser.ja

Needs salt.

HenryLM3

I sliced the apples really thin, less than 1/8 inch, and they just disappeared. I would aim for 3/8 to 1/2 inch the next time.

visser.ja

I had the same experience. Are the apples supposed to be present as pieces in the final dish, or are they supposed to become applesauce?

Gail

Delicious! My beau is from MD and always had sauerkraut as a Thanksgiving side. This is great with pork!

BG

This was delicious! I did not rinse the sauerkraut as I thought that would take away from the “tangy” flavor. Used apple cider instead of beer. Cooked a couple of sausages, sliced them, and added to the pot at the end to make this into a complete meal. The sweet and sour flavor profile was quite enjoyable.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Sauerkraut and Apples Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can be added to sauerkraut to make it taste better? ›

Ten Delicious Kraut Additions
  1. Juniper Berries. Small and dark, these little raisin-sized berries pack a flavor punch. ...
  2. Beets. Peeled and grated or thinly sliced, even a tiny bit of beet stains the whole ferment fuchsia. ...
  3. Ginger. ...
  4. Lemon Peel. ...
  5. Dill. ...
  6. Caraway Seed. ...
  7. Fennel. ...
  8. Celery Root (celeriac)

Should you rinse canned sauerkraut before cooking? ›

It's not necessary to rinse, unless you prefer it that way

Yet, while many agree that this extra step should be avoided, there are exceptions. According to Everyday Health, store-bought sauerkraut is often saltier than homemade versions, making it more than acceptable to dilute the product with water.

Should you put sugar in sauerkraut? ›

Cabbage, salt, and sugar (plus some time) are all that's required to make a standout homemade sauerkraut recipe.

Do you use vinegar when making sauerkraut? ›

These are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this homemade sauerkraut recipe:
  1. Water and vinegar: This sauerkraut recipe starts with water and distilled white vinegar.
  2. Vegetables: You'll need a half of an onion and a head of cabbage.
Jan 9, 2024

What is the most essential step of making sauerkraut? ›

To make sauerkraut, shredded cabbage is mixed with salt and allowed to ferment. The amount of salt added is critical to assuring food safety, and should not be adjusted. Fermentation takes three to six weeks depending on the air temperature. During this time, the acidity in the product will increase.

How to make sauerkraut more sour? ›

B lactis chews on the leaves and produces lactic acid, which makes sauerkraut sour. So if you left it in longer there could be more acid, making it stronger. That's about the only way you could do it, unless your dumped a bunch of lactic acid on you sauerkraut.

What extra liquid for sauerkraut? ›

If your cabbage isn't submerged in about 1cm depth of liquid after 24 hours, add some extra brine. Dissolve 1 tsp salt, (always use pure sea salt), into 250ml water and add, or multiply and add enough to cover the cabbage.

Does more salt make sauerkraut more sour? ›

The more salt, the slower the fermentation and the more acidic your sauerkraut. Use too much salt, though, and you'll inhibit fermentation.

Is sauerkraut better in a can or jar? ›

It's so, so good—it fills your mouth with so much fermented flavor and funk, but it isn't overly astringent or too acidic. Also, hot tip: I'd say there's a hierarchy of sauerkraut packaging. Bagged krauts are crisper than jarred, but jarred krauts are so much tastier and better than canned sauerkrauts.

Is bagged sauerkraut better than canned? ›

In order to reap the probiotic health benefits of sauerkraut, buy refrigerated sauerkraut available in bags or pouches instead of in cans or jars. Avoid sauerkraut that has vinegar or sweeteners.

What happens if you don't rinse sauerkraut? ›

If you enjoy the tangy flavor and the probiotic benefits of sauerkraut, then it's probably best to skip the rinsing step and savor it as it is. However, if you find sauerkraut too pungent or too salty, then rinsing it slightly may make it more palatable for you.

Does sauerkraut spike blood sugar? ›

Fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut contain health-promoting compounds, including probiotics, minerals, and antioxidants. Research associates these compounds with improved blood sugar and insulin sensitivity ( 33 , 34 ).

Do you put a lid on fermenting sauerkraut? ›

Weigh the cabbage down using a 4-ounce jelly jar filled with brine that fits inside the opening, or use a sealed food-grade plastic bag filled with brine. Cover loosely with a lid or a clean towel so that gases produced during fermentation can escape.

What can you add to sauerkraut to make it sweeter? ›

Onions add sweetness and a savory note to sauerkraut's sometimes sharp punch, which is why they're often paired together, like in this kielbasa and sauerkraut skillet recipe. Now, don't go out and spend big on specialty onions because plain old white or yellow varieties would do the trick.

Does sauerkraut need brine? ›

Two things preserve the sauerkraut - the salt and the fermentation. If the sauerkraut gets dry I can't imagine that it would taste as good… and it may well spoil. If you're just keeping it a week or two it shouldn't matter, but sauerkraut preserved in its brine will easily keep 6 months, probably longer.

What is the ratio of salt to cabbage for sauerkraut? ›

The most widely used ratio of 2.00%–2.25% weight of salt to weight of cabbage gives the best results. This means you add 2g to 2.25g of salt for every 100g of finely sliced cabbage in your recipe.

How long does homemade sauerkraut last? ›

If you are refrigerating your sauerkraut, it should stay fresh for about four to six months after opening. It's important to know when you're using it and sealing it after each use because if new bacteria come in contact with it, it can immediately become spoiled.

Do you add water to cabbage when making sauerkraut? ›

If you did not get enough juice from salting and pounding your cabbage, you can moisten it a little with a brine, using a 1/2 tablespoon unrefined sea salt with 1 cup of filtered water.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Terrell Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 6283

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terrell Hackett

Birthday: 1992-03-17

Address: Suite 453 459 Gibson Squares, East Adriane, AK 71925-5692

Phone: +21811810803470

Job: Chief Representative

Hobby: Board games, Rock climbing, Ghost hunting, Origami, Kabaddi, Mushroom hunting, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.