Sauerkraut and Apples Recipe (2024)

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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.

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Sauerkraut and Apples Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why add apples to sauerkraut? ›

Apples are a prebiotic so you will get lots of extra probiotics from adding apples to your kraut.

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 using? ›

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 I add vinegar to my sauerkraut? ›

No need to add any vinegar! Salt alone preserves sour cabbage very well. I add 1/4 cup of shredded carrot for colour. Sometimes, I add a laurel leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds.

How long should I leave sauerkraut to ferment? ›

Store the container at 70°–75°F (21°–23°C) while fermenting. At these temperatures, sauerkraut will be fully fermented in about three to four weeks; at 60°–65°F (15°–18°C), fermentation may take six weeks. Below 60°F (15°C), sauerkraut may not ferment. Above 80°F (26°C), sauerkraut may become soft and spoil.

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.

How do you know when sauerkraut is done fermenting? ›

Fermentation is complete when your sauerkraut tastes pleasantly sour. So, if you've noticed signs of active fermentation, like bubbles, and it smells pleasantly sour, then your sauerkraut is ready for eating. You can also continue to let the cabbage ferment, so it develops a 'rich' flavor.

How to speed up fermentation of sauerkraut? ›

The warmer temperature, the faster it will ferment. However, above 75 degrees and you are likely to be promoting the growth of other undesirable bacteria, which will influence the flavor and texture of the sauerkraut.

What is the tastiest way to eat sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut can be added to soups and stews; cooked with stock, beer or wine; served with sausages or salted meats, and is especially good with smoked fish, like hot-smoked salmon.

How to get bitterness out of sauerkraut? ›

Sweeten canned sauerkrauts with apples

Even a tart apple is sweeter than the sharp-tasting sauerkraut, and cooking brings out their sugars. The overall effect of the apple is to sweeten and mellow the sauerkraut in a supporting role without overpowering the sauerkraut's own flavor.

Why isn't my sauerkraut sour? ›

This won't be bad, as in make you sick, it just won't be probiotic or as tasty. My guess is the lack of pizzazz and sour is likely from the cabbage itself. Depending on the cultivar and time of year cabbages can have very little sugar and starch to break down. It is the sugar that turns into that lovely sour.

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.

Why did my canned sauerkraut turn brown? ›

Occasionally, you might find that the top layer of a batch of sauerkraut turned brown. This can be due to a few issues: 1) the cabbage has been exposed to air, 2) the brine levels have dropped, 3) poorly cleaned jars…

How do you make canned sauerkraut better? ›

To freshen it up without losing any flavor — better yet, while adding flavor — drain the can and then top it up with an inexpensive dry white wine instead. Draining the brine reduces the sauerkraut's salt level, while the white wine gives it a fermented flavor that's missing from canned sauerkraut.

Why is Apple good for fermentation? ›

They are very sweet, which provides the needed sugar for yeast to ferment into alcohol. Also, they have excellent flavour, which holds up pretty well to the transformation process. Many lighter flavour fruits…

What do you put in sauerkraut to make it less bitter? ›

A couple. tablespoons of brown sugar and a can of beer.

How to make sauerkraut less crunchy? ›

If you like to make it less crunchy, use a mandoline style slicer set at 1/8-inch or less. It is nearly impossible to hand-cut such a fine shred.

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