Entree: France – Paris & Ile-de-France – Choucroute Garnie (Braised sauerkraut cooked with an assortment of salted, smoked, and fresh pork meats and sausages)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

US weight measurements (approximate). oz means weight ounces, not fluid ounces.

1 lb 15 3/4 oz sauerkraut, drained and lightly rinsed
1 large onion (about 5 1/4 oz edible), thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves (about 0.42 oz edible), smashed
4 smoked sausage links, about 4 oz each (1 lb 1/4 oz total); use smoked kielbasa as the specific example
4 fresh pork sausages, about 3 1/2 oz each (14 1/8 oz total); use uncooked fresh pork sausage rather than cooked frankfurters
1 lb pork belly, skin removed and cut into pieces
1 bone-in ham hock, about 1 lb 8 oz; edible meat yield varies, and the bone is not eaten
6 oz smoked bacon or lardons, diced
1 lb 8 oz small waxy potatoes, scrubbed and left whole if small
480 ml dry white wine, such as Riesling
240 ml chicken stock
1 1/16 oz unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lightly crushed juniper berries (about 0.21 oz)
4 whole cloves (about 0.035 oz)
2 bay leaves (about 0.018 oz)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns (about 0.071 oz)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (about 0.42 oz)
Kosher salt, to taste; use sparingly because the meats and sauerkraut are salty

Show original ingredient measurements

900 g sauerkraut, drained and lightly rinsed
1 large onion (about 150 g edible), thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves (about 12 g edible), smashed
4 smoked sausage links, about 115 g each (460 g total); use smoked kielbasa as the specific example
4 fresh pork sausages, about 100 g each (400 g total); use uncooked fresh pork sausage rather than cooked frankfurters
454 g pork belly, skin removed and cut into pieces
1 bone-in ham hock, about 680 g; edible meat yield varies, and the bone is not eaten
170 g smoked bacon or lardons, diced
680 g small waxy potatoes, scrubbed and left whole if small
480 ml dry white wine, such as Riesling
240 ml chicken stock
30 g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lightly crushed juniper berries (about 6 g)
4 whole cloves (about 1 g)
2 bay leaves (about 0.5 g)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns (about 2 g)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (about 12 g)
Kosher salt, to taste; use sparingly because the meats and sauerkraut are salty

Instructions

1. Briefly rinse the sauerkraut if very salty, drain it well, and combine it with the juniper berries, cloves, bay leaves, and sugar.
2. In a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until it renders and browns, about 5 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
3. Brown the pork belly on all sides, about 6–8 minutes, and set it aside. Brown the ham hock on all sides, about 6–8 minutes, and set it aside.
4. Add the butter and onion to the pot. Cook until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Return the pork belly, ham hock, and bacon to the pot. Spread the seasoned sauerkraut over them. Add the wine and stock; the liquid should moisten the sauerkraut without fully covering the meats. Add the peppercorns. Taste the liquid before adding any salt.
6. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise over low heat for 1½–2 hours, until the ham hock and pork belly are tender.
7. Add the potatoes and tuck in the fresh pork sausages and smoked kielbasa. Cover and cook for about 25–30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the fresh sausages are cooked through.
8. Remove the meats and sausages. Portion the ham hock and slice the pork belly and sausages as desired. If the cooking liquid is thin, boil it briefly to reduce. Arrange the sauerkraut on a platter, top with the meats, sausages, and potatoes, and spoon over some cooking liquid. Serve hot; mustard and crusty bread are optional accompaniments.