Sausage Sauerkraut Balls

By Maverick19

Ingredients

• 1 lb bulk pork breakfast sausage
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• 3 Tbsp plus 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups sauerkraut, drained and chopped coarse
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten, plus 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup minced fresh chives
• 3 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

Preparation

Step 1

1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook sausage, onion, caraway seeds and fennel in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking sausage into small pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Stir in 3 Tbsp flour until incorporated.

2. Off heat, stir in sauerkraut, cream cheese, mustard and 1 tsp pepper until cream cheese melts. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes, then stir in beaten egg and chives. Divide mixture into 36 portions, about 1 heaping Tbsp each. roll into balls and transfer to prepared sheet.

3. Place remaining 1 cup flour in shallow dish. Beat remaining 3 eggs in second shallow dish and place bread crumbs in third shallow dish. Season bread crumbs with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

4. Working with 6 balls at a time, roll in flour, dig in eggs and coat with bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Divide balls between 2 large plates and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

5. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to large dutch oven until it measures about 1 and a half inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. If balls have flattened on bottom during freezing, reshape to round. Add 12 balls to oil. Adjust burner, as necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 300-325 degrees. Fry until deep golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Transfer balls to wire rack. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining balls in two batches and serve.

Serve with dijon mustard