Thursday, March 27, 2014

Cathy Sander's Fried Sauerkraut

When my friend, Cathy, mentioned that she like to share her recipe for Fried Sauerkraut, I pictured little sauerkraut croquettes. I couldn't have been more mistaken. It turns out that fried sauerkraut is pan fried with bacon and onion and it's DELICIOUS!

I highly recommend giving this a try. I think the recipe would appeal to kraut lovers but even more so to people who can take it or leave it. This recipe helps to round out and enrich the flavor. Instead of that puckery, salty sour flavor you get a layered subtle dish - a little salty, a little smokey. 

Cathy suggests serving the Fried Sauerkraut with roast turkey and cranberry sauce. It's her husband Carl's favorite way to eat it. Vince and I also used some for a Reuben and it rocked!

The recipe is easy peasy. Check out the video and then try the recipe yourself.




Fried Sauerkraut
Serves 4 to 8

1 32-ounce jar Sauerkraut, drained
4 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1" strips
1/2 cup diced onion

Drain the sauerkraut and squeeze as much of the moisture out as you can.  Set aside.
Heat a 12" pan on medium high. (Cathy prefers to use cast iron but any pan will do. Non-stick pans do not work well for this recipe because the sauerkraut won't brown/caramelize.) 

Once the pan is hot at the bacon strips and cook to render out the fat for about 5 minutes. You don't want to make the bacon too crisp but you do want a good amount of bacon fat in the pan. Add diced onions and cook till onions are slightly translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Next add the drained sauerkraut and and stir to combine all the ingredients well.

Then let the sauerkraut sit in the pan for a few minutes to start the caramelizing. Stir occasionally till sauerkraut is a golden color, about 10 minutes. Once it reaches the desired color, turn off the heat and let sit in the pan for 1-2 minutes.

1 comment:

  1. That's my Aunt! We love watching her cook, and can't wait for her to visit us in San Diego and make some of her specialties :)

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