This French casserole is based on pork shoulder, sausages, sauerkraut and often potatoes as well—and there are many variations on it. The key is to find a butcher who sells a wide selection of cured meats so you can create your unique signature version.
HANDS-ON TIME
45 minutes
TOTAL TIME
3½ hours
MAKES
8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup butter
3 large onions, sliced
375 g slab smoked bacon
2 cups dry Riesling
1 large carrot, halved crosswise
1 bay leaf
1 tsp caraway seeds
8 juniper berries
6 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
2 cloves garlic
900 g smoked pork shoulder (or 1.35 kg smoked ham hocks)
3 smoked pork sausages (such as Strasbourg, bratwurst, frankfurter, knackwurst or blutwurst)
6 cups sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry
3 wieners
3 large white potatoes, peeled and halved
DIRECTIONS
In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; cook onions, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes.
Cut bacon into 6 same-size chunks. Add to pan; cook, turning often, until browned and fat is rendered, about 6 minutes.
Add wine, ½ cup water, carrot, bay leaf and caraway seeds.
Place juniper berries, peppercorns and cloves on cheesecloth square; tie with kitchen string to make bundle. Add to pan; stir in garlic.
Add pork shoulder and sausages; cover with sauerkraut. Cover and cook until heated through.
Transfer to 325°F (160°C) oven. Cook, turning pork shoulder over halfway through and re-covering with sauerkraut, until pork shoulder is tender, 2½ to 3 hours.
Add wieners; cook until heated through, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf and spice bundle. Transfer pork shoulder, sausages and wieners to cutting board; cut into portions.
While wieners are cooking, in saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.
Heap sauerkraut on large platter; surround with vegetables, meat and potatoes.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER EACH OF 10 SERVINGS: about 628 cal, 27 g pro, 44 g total fat (20 g sat. fat), 33 g carb, 6 g fibre, 126 mg chol, 1,930 mg sodium. % RDI: 8% calcium, 30% iron, 20% vit A, 43% vit C, 23% folate.
