Choucroute Garnie

Method

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1. Tip the sauerkraut into a colander and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water, then squeeze it out hard in handfuls.

   Mark done

2. Melt the fat and soften the onions 10 minutes. Tie the juniper, cloves, bay, peppercorns and caraway in a muslin bag.

   Mark done

3. Add the sauerkraut, wine, stock and spice bag, and bury the hock and pork belly in it.

   Mark done

4. Cover and cook at a bare simmer, or in a 160°C / 320°F oven, for 90 minutes.

   Mark done Start 90 min timer

5. Brown the Toulouse sausages in a separate pan and add them to the pot.

   Mark done

6. Cook 20 minutes more, adding the Alsace sausages for the last 10 minutes only — they need warming, not cooking.

   Mark done

7. Pile the sauerkraut on a warm platter with the meats sliced over it, the boiled potatoes around, and mustard on the table.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Rinse and squeeze the kraut. Straight from the jar it is inedible in quantity.
• Meats by cooking time. Boiled sausage is a sad thing.
• A muslin bag for the spices, or you eat juniper berries whole.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.

Pairing Suggestions

• Boiled potatoes
• Strong mustard
• The rest of the riesling

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 4 days and better reheated. The sauerkraut base freezes for 3 months; the sausages do not.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.