Simple Choucroute Garni

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 3 pounds sauerkraut (jarred or packaged, not canned) 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped
• 6 smoked pork chops
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1/4-pound piece pork belly or a smoked ham hock
• 20 juniper berries (lightly crushed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups dry Riesling (preferably Alsatian)
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 pounds small round potatoes
• 2 pounds mixed sausages such as Strasbourg, bratwurst, weisswurst and kielbasa
• Dijon mustard
• whole-grain mustard

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Rinse sauerkraut under cold water, drain in a colander and squeeze dry.

In a 8-9 quart Dutch oven cook bacon until golden over moderate heat; drain on paper towels. Lightly brown pork chops in bacon fat in batches; transfer to a plate.

Cook onions and garlic in bacon fat until translucent. Return bacon and chops to pot and add pork belly or a smoked ham hock. Cover with sauerkraut, fluffing to separate strands, and scatter with juniper berries, caraway seeds, cloves, bay leaves and a few grinds of pepper. Pour Riesling and chicken broth over all and bring to a simmer.

Cover and braise in oven until pork chops are tender, about 1½ hours, adding more broth or water if sauerkraut looks dry.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes; peel and keep warm. Cook sausages in a pot of barely simmering water for 10 minutes (don't let the water boil or the sausages will burst).

To serve, drain sauerkraut (discarding spices, if desired) and place on a heated large platter. Slice pork belly and kielbasa and arrange on platter with other meats and potatoes. Serve with mustards.