Hot or cold Sauerkraut? How do you eat it and with what?

Question

Hi All, 

Long time lurker but now have the courage to finally post. :)

I love sauerkraut and seem to only eat it when I have a hotdog from a street cart. Something about a steamy blistery hotdog served in a warm soft roll smoothered in mustard and kraut... Ah love in the simplest of forms :). Could any of you share some ideas on how to serve it at home? I am curious how other chowhounds eat sauerkraut and if they like hot or cold.

Answer

I get a couple of pounds of sauerkraut from my butcher, along with a ham shank. I then braise them together (drain and squeeze the kraut first), along with onion, crushed juniper berries, smoked sausage if available, diced apple etc. Cook at low heat in a dutch oven for a couple of hours until the kraut is soft and browning, and the ham is falling off the bone. Maybe add some potatoes toward the end.

This is an approximation of the classic French Alsatian's sauerkraut casserole, Choucroute

Answer

I recently prepared sauerkraut for an appetizer. I rinsed, drained and squeezed out the excess water, then mixed with thinly sliced onion, minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, and just enough mayo to bind. Next, I cut 2-inch rounds from rye bread slices, topped with the mixture and popped them into a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes. I guarantee you won't miss the corned beef!

Answer

Doesn't matter if it's hot or cold.

I often treat kraut like the step sister of kimchi.

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Hot -- and lots of it -- on a grilled NY deli frank. Or, if it's Ba Tampte, cold, right out of the jar.

Answer

Always warm, never cold.

Saute some thinly sliced onion in fat of choice (goose/duck fat, lard, bacon grease are all good). Rinse the kraut, add to the pan. Add some white wine (Riesling is very good...) and caraway or juniper seeds (I prefer the caraway to the juniper, but then I am of Germanic rather than Alsatian descent), and some cracked pepper if you like. Add in some diced apple or pear. Simmer away.

Answer

Canned Kraut (Silver Floss is my Favorite) HOT. On Hot Dogs or Kielbasa, on a deli sandwich.
Used to make potted short Ribs with Kraut, sliced white potatoes and caraway seeds.

Jarred New Kraut...cold on the plate with a cooked meat such as pot roast.

Canned or bagged, as part of the filling for Pierogies with potatoes and cheese.

I will drink the juice from jarred kraut, but not canned.

I will also use New Kraut and pickles and pickled tomatoes to make a non-Italian gardiniera salad.

Answer

No expert here, but have you tried the raw, still-active, burbling stuff from the farmer's market? Strong and delicious! (I think most jarred stuff has been previously cooked, right?) Like Bagelman, I too like to drink the juice, and my husband hates when I do :)

Answer

My wife and I love kraut! Living in Wisconsin we eat it in a lot of German preparations. My favorite stand alone cooking method is very simple and goes with just about anything, my wife and I eat it right out of the pot.

Cook off 6-8 slices of good thick bacon until crisp, drain off half the grease.
Saute 1 hole sliced onion until soft.
Add one can franks original sauerkraut and one can franks sweet sauerkraut.
Simmer uncovered till slightly reduced and flavors meld.
Goes great with cider brined pork!

Answer

I love that stuff. It is really good on sandwiches. I love to make vegetable reubens- essentially rye bread, sauteed mushrooms, onions, and spinach, a layer of swiss cheese, a layer of sauerkraut. Swipe each side of the bread with olive oil or butter, toast each side. When nice and brown and your cheese is melted, add a smear of homemade thousand island dressing. Insanely good.

Answer

Hi, Munkipawse:

 I never hated kraut, but I never particularly liked it, either. Until recently.

 IMO, like Brussels Sprouts, kraut benefits from roasting and caramelizing. What I do is drain it, put about 3 parts kraut to 1 part shredded apple and 1 part shredded onion in a saute with 2T butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. I do it mostly on the stovetop, slow and low, but it works in the oven as well. I may add dashes of Eau de vie de Pomme (Apple brandy) and/or balsamic vinegar if I'm wearing my fancy pants.

 This 3:1:1 mix--uncooked--also works well as an aromatic marinade for whatever meat you're planning to serve. If you salt your cut heavily, discard the mix you used as marinade.

 My favorite kraut dish is thin-sliced marinated porkchops, seared, then perched in a gratin over 1/2 this caramelized mix, with the other 1/2 placed atop, then baked at 300F. Swishing the mix into the fond before assembling is a good idea. I like how the mix finishes fairly dry, but the chops are kept moist.

Aloha,
Kaleo

Answer

Short ribs braised, then smothered with kraut, an onion sliced and baked in the oven. I grew up eating this dish and still do.

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Oh, your description is lovely. I like it that way, sometimes I get seized by a notion for something tart, and just have a few forkfuls out of the jar, it's good with a pork roast, obviously, and prominently figured in a Reuben sandwich. Hallupsie, also, my MIL's recipe, do a search for a real 1950s recipe that makes you crave it despite what it entails.

Answer

I get two of those plastic 1lb packages of sauerkraut they have in the refrigerated section of the market. And several large sweet onions, two large ripe tomatoes, some caraway seed, and apple cider or white vinegar, bone in pork chops, and sugar. I throw the kraut in a large pot, thinly slice the onions, and add, also salt and pepper, and a teaspoon or two of caraway seed. Start with a teaspoon, you can add more later, it shouldn't taste too much of caraway seed, just a touch. And water to barely cover. Bring to a boil and drop to a simmer. Throw the tomatoes on top until the skin breaks, fish them out and chop them up and put back in to the kraut. Cook for about an hour while I brown the pork chops and set aside with all juices saved. I taste the kraut and add some vinegar and sugar so it is nicely sweet & sour. I may add a squeeze of ketchup or a tablespoon of tomato paste. I add the pork chops and get them down into the pot so they are covered and I braise it all until the pork is just at the falling off the bone point. I fish out the chops, get rid of the bones, and cut meat into bite size and put back in with the kraut. Serve in bowls with small boiled potatoes on the side. Meaty, tangy, stick to your ribs cold weather food.

Answer

I like it warm, with caraway seeds, as a side dish with pork chops.

Answer

Sauerkraut, kielbasa*, rice vinegar (not always), bay leaves. Simmer. Yum.

* "Plain" Kielbasa; or Kielbasa Wiejska, Mysliwska, Jalowcowa, Weselna, etc etc; or Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Knackwurst...

Answer

The traditional way Choucroute is served in France is hot, with pork hocks, smoked pork chops, pork side and sausages (Strasbourg and Montbéliard types). With a small jar of Dijon mustard. As far as cooking it at home, I would not start from scratch. I buy a jar of Bick's Wine Sauerourkraft, I put it in a double boiler (with its liquid, black peppercorn and juniper, NO salt and lots of butter knobs) and I let it simmer until the saerkrout is melting but not caramelized. Lots of recipes on the web.

Answer

Love it with peanut butter on a cracker, love kim chi and peanut butter even more.

Answer

PA Dutch here, and I just made pork and sauerkraut for dinner last night. My mom used to do it in the oven, but I actually think it is perfect in the crock pot. Got a bone-in pork roast, sprinkle with lots of fresh cracked black pepper, put in crock pour sauerkraut WITH JUICE over top and cook on low for 8 hrs. Serve with mashed potatoes and applesauce. There is nothing better than coming home on a cold day to a home that smells like pork and sauerkraut.

I never understood draining and rinsing . . . sauerkraut juice is the best part of sauerkraut. Mmmmmm poured over the potatoes, sopped up with a piece of buttered white or rye bread..... I think I have some leftovers in the fridge. ;)

Answer

I'll eat it hot / cold / whatever! LOVE it! To be perfectly honest, I'd eat it just plain. It's also really good with Russian dressing on it (deconstructed Reuben?).

We ALWAYS have it with turkey dinners at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Turkey combined with traditional bread stuffing and kraut (and maybe a little gravy) is heavenly!!

Answer

I love it hot or cold and drink the brine for its vitamins and taste. Favorite to cook, saute farmer's ribs, rinse saurkraut, add onion and granny smith apple, put in saute pan with ribs and put in oven at 350 for one hour , covered. Food of gods!

Answer

I only eat it hot on a reuben. I only order a reunen out.

Answer

Ohhhh !!!
My absolutely FAVORITE meal as a child was the one
my Grammie made (the "Fat" grandma, a large Bohemian woman who 
could cook / bake absolutely ANYTHING !!!)

Pork Roast, Saurkraut, and HEAVY potato dumplings !!!!
A bite of everything together on a fork, such HEAVEN !!!
AND, Grammie would cut off some of the pork fat and fry it up crisp for me to eat !
Love and miss her !!!!

Answer

My mother's side of the family is Polish and I have always loved a good BIGOS. It is considered a Polish 'Hunter's Stew' with various meats, sauerkraut, and Polish Kielbasa.
Here's a rough guideline to make it
1 jar sauerkraut
half head of cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 pound mixed meat (my grandma used cubed beef, porc shoulder, pork ribs, rabbit, and squab)
half pound of Kielbasa, cut into chunks
3 strips of bacon
5 dried Polish mushrooms or dried Porcini,soaked drain, then diced
6 dried prunes,diced then soaked and drained
half cup red wine
half tsp dried marjoram and paprika, 1 bay leaf, six allspice berries, crushed, s & p to taste
Rinse and drain the sauerkraut. In a heavy pot, brown the mixed meat and remove. In the same pot, sautée the onion and chopped bacon, then add the fresh cabbage and cook until the cabbage is soft. Add all the other ingredients, and 1 cup of water or stock.Bring to the boil, then place in a 300F oven for 2-3 hours, until the meat is tender. Serve with boiled potatos, good rye bread and pickled beets.

Answer

kraut on potato chips (an indulgence that I rarely allow)
kraut on pizza

Answer

I have a favorite recipe book from one of those charity organizations that I got maybe in Ventura California a hundred years ago while on a quest for yet more cookbooks. in the appetizer section, there is a recipe for some kind of log thing. it's main ingredient = a jar of drained sauerkraut.
the quest is to see if anyone can guess the secret ingredient. the author of the recipe said in her experience, it's never been guessed and always disappears. odd huh?

Answer

My shchi recipe features kraut.

Also, I make a version of Der Wienerschnitzel's Polish Sandwich. Learned it from my mom a long time ago.

Melt bacon fat in a skillet.

Add kraut, brown sugar and caraway seeds. Saute' until kraut has caramelized a bit.

Slice high quality kielbasas lengthwise and sear in a skillet.

Spread good rye bread with spicy mustard. Lay on the kielbasa, Swiss cheese and then the kraut. It's murder.

Answer

Almost always hot. I like mine fried, crispy. In bacon grease if I have it. I like it on hot dogs, of course, but also any pork product and mashed potatoes.

Answer

Cold on brats or wieners. Hot as a side.

As a side my favorite is 2/3 sauerkraut, 1/3 honey comb tripe cut to the same width. Cooked covered with dry white winefor 2 to 3 hours. Add 2 chopped cooking applesand cook until broken down. Add white pepper and adjust for seasoning. I have seen juniper berries, fennel, and crushed black pepper added near the end.

And that is a total of 3 hours gently simmering. Just almost be breaking apart and nearly dry.

Answer

In a roasting pan put a two inch layer of 'kraut'. Set a young goose filled with any type of sausage in the cavity. Roast at 200 F until the internal temp is what you like. Crank up the heat to screaming high to brown the skin and remove and rest for longer than you think necessary and carve. Goose should be served warm not hot. Goose and 'kraut' is a classic Alsatian dish.

Answer

Sauerkraut, well-done (preferably) on a hot dog.

I'll eat it any way, but that's how I prefer it.

Answer

When I married my husband, he introduced me to neck bones and sauerkraut. Good with mashed potatoes and warm applesauce with cinnamon.

Answer

Always hot, & either on Czech Bread Dumplings or on a Reuben sandwich.

Answer

I would just love what you described, maybe minus the mustard. I would also snack on kraut out of the jar in the refrigerator if there was some left over. I don't eat it a lot, but I do really enjoy it.
Check out this recipe- leftover cooked rice, cooked chunked-up ground beef, drained of fat, and a big jar of drained sauerkraut. Mix thoroughly, put in casserole, pepper generously, and heat up in an oven. It sounded gross to me, but it's something I crave now and again since DH introduced it to me.

Answer

Cold! On a dog, a sandwich, with grilled sausages or even a burger. But always cold. When heated the flavor just seems to disappear for me.

Answer

Never really enjoyed raw, cold, sauerkraut until I made my first batch fermented from scratch last fall. 25 pounds of amazing, tart, crunchy, goodness. I've been eating it cold and raw as a side salad, on sandwiches, with everything. Have to make another batch. And super healthy too. I used over 14 probiotics as the starting culture.

Answer

A delicious easy snack with saurkraut that I learned from my New Zealand friend is to combine the following:
1) Toasted Bread - ideally sourdough bread
2) Avacado slices
3) Saurkraut
4) Pepper

Place the avacado slices, at room temperature or slight warmer, to the toasted bread so that the avo slices become a little creamy and melt...then add the saurkraut and pepper. The toast, creamy avo and saurkraut are delicious!

Answer

Temp doesn't matter to me. I eat it mostly mixed with grilled onions and alongside beer brats.

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One of the biggest disappointments of my 'culinary' life (well, not really............. but it's more dramatic if I say it that way) was when our local area Costco stores stopped offering their small containers of sauerkraut hot. 

The Costco $1.50 dog+drink is just one of those special things for me, but the cold kraut takes away a good deal of the enjoyment. I prefer the Polish Dog, BTW. More flavor, especially since Costco stopped offering Hebrew National dogs.

So.................. HOT !

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I love it hot or cold, cooked or right out of the package, by itself or on a tube steak or kolbasz, and especially in braise with onion, pork, paprika, & sour cream.

Oh...and like my Grandmother always did, I drink the juice it's packed in as well. yum

Answer

Sauerkraut mixed 50-50 with cooked noodles. Good that way, better with some chopped-up bacon fried with onions and poured over the noodles and sauerkraut. Caraway seed optional.

Answer

Hot, and on smoked sausage "hot dogs," with Chili and cheddar cheese.

Hunt

Answer

Cold sauerkraut on a reuben sandwich, with pastrami, of course. Sauerkraut pierogi is a Polish staple, although I prefer cheese or mushroom. Mr. Tardigrade, who is pure WASP as far an he can tell, has developed a taste for choucroute garnie, which for practical purposes translates into sauerkraut cooked up with onions, ham/sausage/whatever's_in_the_house, and potatoes. I like bigos, the Polish version, which usually has kielbasa, mushrooms, and sour cream.

And, of course, with hotdogs and other sausages.

Answer

Toast a slice of fresh-baked whole grain bread. Smear it with ripe avocado. Heap cold, tangy sourkraut on top. Sprinkle with paprika. Devour and make another. Shoulda made two to begin with.

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I do not like sauerkraut and have very bad memories of being hit by the stench as I opened the back door after school filling me with dread about dinnertime (sorry, don't mean to offend all you kraut lovers). My point is that I can't stand it but have been reading and hearing how good it is for your intestines and would like to find some ideas of how to start getting a little bit of it into my weekly diet without filling my house with the smell of a large, hot meal of it. Any snack ideas?

Answer

A long time ago I had a recipe for sauerkraut cookies. Seemed unlikely, but I finally tried it, and it really tasted good. Of course, I'm a cookie nut so maybe I'd like anything! I don't have the recipe, but maybe you could find one on the Internet.

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