Braised Sauerkraut With Lots of Pork

Name: Braised Sauerkraut With Lots of Pork
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork rib tips or country ribs, rinsed and patted dry; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 pigs’ feet, halved lengthwise (have your butcher do the cutting), rinsed and patted dry; 2 cups not-too-dry white wine; 2 bay leaves; 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 4 bratwurst, smoked or unsmoked; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced; 3 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick; 1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped; 3 pounds sauerkraut, rinsed and drained; 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 large smoked pork chop; Boiled potatoes, for serving; Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 3 hours
Rating: 4(173)
Notes: Read community notes

Two classic mixed braises always come to mind at this time of year. One is cassoulet, based on white beans and a blend of goose, duck and pork. The better alternative for my purposes was choucroute garnie, a vat of simmering sauerkraut that serves as a nice bed on which to mix and match a variety of pig parts.

The beauty of a choucroute is that it lets you use whatever pork products you like or have on hand. A couple of hours later, the meat is cooked through while the sauerkraut has absorbed all the porky, smoky flavors, utterly transforming from pickled and puckery into something brawny in flavor and meltingly soft, especially if you add a couple of apples to bring out the cabbage’s sweeter nature.

Pigs’ feet are not necessarily traditional in choucroute, but they add excellent flavor and body to the mix. If you are like my husband and prefer to eat your meat with a knife and fork (and I know that he is not alone in that department), you can always leave them out.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

2pounds pork rib tips or country ribs, rinsed and patted dry
2teaspoons kosher salt
1teaspoon ground black pepper
2pigs’ feet, halved lengthwise (have your butcher do the cutting), rinsed and patted dry
2cups not-too-dry white wine
2bay leaves
1½teaspoons coriander seeds
1tablespoon olive oil
4bratwurst, smoked or unsmoked
4tablespoons unsalted butter
2medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
3tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick
1fat garlic clove, finely chopped
3pounds sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1large smoked pork chop
Boiled potatoes, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the ribs with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set a medium saucepan on high heat and add the pigs’ feet, wine and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the coriander seeds, toasting them until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, lightly crush the seeds. Set aside.
Step 3
Return the Dutch oven to the heat and add the olive oil. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the bratwurst and cook, turning occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Turn down the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pot. Toss in the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook until the apples and onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.
Step 4
Add the wine and pigs’ feet. Simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the sauerkraut, rib tips, ¾ cup water, carrots, coriander seeds, remaining teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well, then nestle the pork chop in the sauerkraut.
Step 5
Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the pork chop and add the bratwurst. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Simmer, uncovered, until the juices have thickened and the meat is tender, another 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes and chopped parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5

173 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

maitland6 years ago

[1] Smoked ham hock, instead of pigs feet & smoked pork chop. Worked well; [2] Extra carrot; [3] Served with egg noodles. Great! [4] Simmered in oven to reduce.

Peter4 years ago

My wife's grandmother endeared herself to me many years ago while I was in college when she insisted I would get very sick if I did not have a beer or two while eating her fabulous sauerkraut with pork chops, very similar to this recipe. I have followed that advice religiously ever since. I make this several times a year but without the pigs' feet. Every now and then I throw in some kielbasa.

hazelfield2 years ago

Like everyone else, I pretty much followed Mellisa’s recipe but virtually everyone dropped the pigs foot. it was at least a consistent departure that came across as a cultural perhaps geographic pattern that some how put the trotters beyond the pale. Her opening paean to mixed parts including the feet made clear that all parts of the ‘whole hog’ were legitimate and desirable. As i had a nice package of fresh pig’s cheeks,after searing them along with one trotter, the results were five star

PJ1 year ago

Silly not to brown the ribs after the brats… turn the oven down to 300’F to guarantee juicy - you may just need to cook 20-45 minutes longer.

Edward Blau1 year ago

Sauerkraut and country ribs have been a staple in our house for decades using my mother-in-law's recipe. It was my birthday so I asked to try this one instead. I used thick-cut country pork ribs, two were on the bone and knockwurst. I cooked the ribs first in the white wine and bay leaves for two hours then the vegetable and apple slices in the dutch oven, added the sauerkraut, the ribs, sausages, garlic, coriander and then poured the wine over it and put it in the oven. It was terrific.

hazelfield2 years ago

Ilene2 years ago

In Polish neighborhoods this is known as bigos.

Angela2 years ago

This can be adapted easily for a pressure cooker. I also served it with potato dumplings.

William2 years ago

Any thoughts on converting this to a slow cooker recipe? I would like put this in a slow cooker while we are out and about on New Year's Eve.

Dana2 years ago

It worked out well. No pigs’ feet or smoked pork chop in the store so i used a smoked hock. Reduced the quantities and skipped the water. It came out well with much praise from a picky family.

Isobel3 years ago

Yummy New Years Day dinner. Left out the pigs' feet and smoked pork chop. Coriander seeds add a great depth of flavor. Served over mashed potatoes.

mdb1393 years ago

I made a version of this today, for New Year’s Day, incorporating some of the suggestions in other comments. I made mine entirely in a Dutch oven and used 1 lb bratwurst, 2 lb pork shoulder (boneless, cut into 2” strips) in lieu of pigs feet, and about 1 lb smoked ham in lieu of smoked pork chop / ham hock. After cooking largely as directed, I put the sausage and pork (but not ham) on a lined baking sheet and broiled for a few minutes. Served with roasted potatoes. We really enjoyed it!

Valerie3 years ago

Used a bottle of Sauternes and largely followed the recipe sans pigs’ feet. Outstanding!!! Made it another time with hard cider as we are in lockdown and that’s what I had on hand, and it wasn’t as good. Go with Sauternes.

Jo4 years ago

I think the cooking times are way off for the pork products. Pigs feet simmered three hours in plain water with herbs/spice. Pork chop: brown and then one hour in the braise. Two hours for pork chops seems a bit long.

David Spence4 years ago

why does it say "add the wine and pigs' feet" in step 4, and "add the pigs' feet, wine and bay leaf "in step 1? Presumably this should be in Step 1 only.

jane4 years ago

Smoked ham hock, instead of pigs feet & smoked pork chop.

Peter4 years ago

Sue4 years ago

use med sized shoulder and trussed feet; braise overnight in oven at 215, adding fresh chunky veg and link sausage last 1/2 hour. remove meat and kraut, reduce broth and chill to skim fat. invite a gang over for dinner, reheat and serve.

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