Sauerkraut is actually a German specialty. In Germany they find wide applications for it. An especially popular recipe is pork shank over sauerkraut. In Russia, as well as in many other Asian countries, sauerkraut is highly popular also. Here are a few sauerkraut recipes from around the world:
Bulgarian Sauerkraut in a Drum
Ingredients: 66 lb cabbages, 1 2/3 cups salt per 2.5 gal water, several cobs of corn.
Preparation: Clean the cabbages, remove the cores and in that spot cut a 1 1/2″ (4 cm) deep cross. Put the cabbages in a drum with the corn and pour on a salty water mixture up to 4″ (10 cm) above the cabbages. After 4-5 days begin decanting, do it every other day for about 15-20 days. The drum needs to be sealed tightly.
German-Style Sauerkraut
Ingredients: 22 lb cabbages, 4.5 lb carrots, 1 head of celery, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tsp cumin, several black pepper grains and bay leaf.
Preparation: Cut the cabbages and carrots and salt them. Arrange them in a special German sauerkraut crock, sold especially for this purpose, and put the finely chopped spices between them. Once the cabbage ferments, put it in a cool area.
Polish-Style Sauerkraut
Ingredients: 11 lb cabbages, 4.5 lb apples, 2 lb carrots, several potatoes, 1/2 cup salt, 2/3 tsp dill seeds.
Preparation: Cut the cabbages along with the core, grate the apples and carrots. Mix them with the salt and dill and put them in an enameled, glass or wooden container. Pour the water over them that was used to soak the peeled and washed potatoes and press down with weights. Store thus prepared sauerkraut in a cool area.
Russian-Style Sauerkraut
Ingredients: 22 lb cabbages, 21 oz carrots, 2 lb beetroots, 1 celery head, 2 lb small apples, 4/5 cup cranberries, 1 cup salt.
Preparation: Cut the cabbages into strips, salt and arrange them tightly in jars with the cut apples, carrots, beets, cranberries and celery in between. Everything must be pressed down tightly, to get rid of any air. Finally, arrange cabbage leaves and put a weight on top of each jar. Store the jars in a cool area.
And how about some appetizing recipes to make use of the sauerkraut? : pork ribs with sauerkraut, pork with sauerkraut in a clay pot, pork with sauerkraut, meat with sauerkraut, sauerkraut with mince, sarma with sauerkraut, chicken with sauerkraut.
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