Best Polish Stewed Sauerkraut Recipes

POLISH BRAISED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Drain the sauerkraut, keeping the juice (we won't use it here, but feel free to drink it - it's very healthy!). Have a taste - if the sauerkraut is extremely sour, it's worth giving it a rinse under running water first, then squeeze it out.
• Roughly chop the sauerkraut, so that the strings of fermented cabbage aren't too long.
• Move the sauerkraut into a deep frying pan/skillet.
• Pour in enough hot water to nearly cover the sauerkraut.
• Add in 2 tablespoons of butter (don't worry, it will melt on its own), 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 5 black peppercorns and 2-3 allspice berries.
• Cover with a lid and braise until soft. Sauerkraut will become soft after around 40 to 50 minutes of cooking. Monitor the process from time to time, making sure nothing boils over or sticks to the pan. Add more water if necessary.
• [optional step: apple] After 25 minutes of braising (somewhere around the half-way mark), add an apple. Peel one small sweet apple (weighing roughly 3.5 oz / 100 g before peeling) and chop it finely. You can also grate it instead (using the largest holes). Add the apple pieces into the sauerkraut and continue braising.
• [optional step: bacon] As the braising is nearing the end, let's fry the bacon: Chop the smoked bacon into cubes (or small pieces) and fry them up on a separate frying pan until lightly golden. Usually bacon renders enough of its own fat, so no additional cooking fat is required - but if your bacon is very lean, feel free to grease the pan with some oil.
• Add fried bacon into the braised kraut, fold it in.
• Add chopped onions into the same frying pan (same one we used for cooking bacon). Sauté them for a few minutes until they turn translucent.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour into the onions, and stir them in (with a pan-friendly spoon or a spatula).
• Add in half a cup of water and stir continuously. Increase the heat and bring into a near-boil (keep on stirring!).
• Move the contents of the frying pan (onions + roux) into the braising sauerkraut. Stir everything together.
• Have a little taste. Does it need some more salt and pepper? If so, season it a bit more, I usually do. If it tastes a bit too acidic for your liking, add a pinch of sugar. Stir everything together and switch off the heat.
• [optional step] Chop fresh dill finely and fold it into the sauerkraut. Serve hot.

POLISH "STEWED" SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• 1. In a large pot add sauerkraut and water. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 hour. Drain in colander.
• 2. while sauerkraut is cooking, dice fat back into small pieces and put into a large skillet. Cook down on medium heat until pieces of fatback turn brown and crispy. Remove pieces with slotted spoon and dispose of, keeping the drippings in the pan. Add onions to drippings in the pan and saute' until tender.
• 3. When sauerkraut is cooked and drained, put back into pot and add onions as well as most of the drippings. Add pinch of salt and pepper. If it seems dry add a little more drippings.
• 4. Let this mixture cook down for at least 1/2 hour, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking and burning. Taste occasionally to check flavor. Important to learn with ethnic cooking.. become a TASTER! Add more salt and pepper if needed. When onions and sauerkraut are tender and blended remove from heat
• 5. Serve with Kielbasa, smoked ham, hot dogs, sausage - you name it!

BRATWURST STEWED WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• In a large pan, heat oil over high heat. Brown bratwurst in oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic and cook until lightly caramelized. Add stock, paprika, caraway seeds, and sauerkraut and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh dill. Serve on baguette.

BIGOS - POLISH SAUERKRAUT STEW

Steps:

• Slice kielbasa into 1 inch rounds; brown in skillet.
• Brown the onions.
• Drain juice from sauerkraut and add 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar.
• In a large casserole, make layers of sliced potatoes, sauerkraut, kielbasa, and onions.
• Mix soup with 1/2 cup water and pour over other ingredients.
• Sprinkle with caraway seeds.
• Cover and bake at 375 degrees for about 1 hour.
• Uncover and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes until top is brown.

BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and kielbasa; cook and stir until the bacon has rendered its fat and sausage is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and transfer to a large casserole or Dutch oven.
• Coat the cubes of pork lightly with flour and fry them in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to the casserole. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, fresh mushrooms, cabbage and sauerkraut. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until the carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Do not let the vegetables brown.
• Deglaze the pan by pouring in the red wine and stirring to loosen all of the bits of food and flour that are stuck to the bottom. Season with the bay leaf, basil, marjoram, paprika, salt, pepper, caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; cook for 1 minute.
• Mix in the dried mushrooms, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, tomato paste and tomatoes. Heat through just until boiling. Pour the vegetables and all of the liquid into the casserole dish with the meat. Cover with a lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender.