Best 10 Shortcut Choucroute Recipes

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Shortcut choucroute is a delightful rendition of the Alsatian classic sauerkraut dish, offering a simpler preparation method while preserving the essential flavors. This recipe is a culinary treasure that combines the tangy, slightly fermented essence of sauerkraut with the richness of smoked pork and the aromatic goodness of juniper berries. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting your culinary journey, this step-by-step guide will help you craft a flavorful and satisfying shortcut choucroute that will impress your family and friends.

Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!

SHORTCUT CHOUCROUTE



Shortcut Choucroute image

This pork and vegetable braise requires about 3 hours of time and 5 minutes of work. Spend a few minutes making broad strokes with a sharp knife and layer the ingredients in a deep roasting pan. Then walk away for more than 2 hours. Pass through the kitchen again to uncover the pan and turn the oven up, then go back to your business. You've just spent a productive 3 or so hours cooking and doing something else.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories     dinner, roasts, main course

Time 3h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/2 head green cabbage
1 quart sauerkraut
2 large onions
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon caraway seeds or juniper berries
Black pepper
1 pound boneless pork shoulder roast (or 1 1/2 pounds bone-in)
1 pound smoked sausage
1 bottle not-too-sweet riesling (or a little more than 3 cups beer, apple cider, chicken stock or water)
Salt
Baguettes, butter and coarse mustard, for serving

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Core the cabbage; cut it into wide ribbons and scatter in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Drain the sauerkraut and spread it on top of the cabbage. Halve the onions and nestle them among the vegetables. Tuck in the bay leaves and sprinkle with the caraway seeds or juniper berries and lots of black pepper.
  • Put the meat and sausages on top of everything and pour in the wine or other liquid. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and cover tightly with foil. Transfer to the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 2 hours.
  • Test the pork shoulder by inserting a fork into the thickest part: If it slides out easily, turn the oven up to 450 degrees, leave the pan uncovered and return it to the oven until the meat and the vegetables brown a bit, another 25 to 30 minutes. If the pork isn't fork-tender, re-cover the pan and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes before proceeding.
  • To serve, just break the pork into chunks with two forks and set the pan on the table with a serving spoon and plates, plenty of roughly torn baguettes and crocks of mustard and butter. Don't bother removing the bay leaves unless they really bug you.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 655, UnsaturatedFat 24 grams, Carbohydrate 27 grams, Fat 41 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 42 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 1982 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams

SHORTCUT CHOUCROUTE



Shortcut Choucroute image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories     dinner, project, main course

Time 2h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 pounds sauerkraut
1 large onion, chopped
10 juniper berries
2 cups dry white wine, preferably Alsatian riesling
1 pound slab bacon, in one piece
1 pound kielbasa or other dark sausage
3 bratwursts or other light sausages
3 smoked loin pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Wash sauerkraut, and drain well.Combine with onion, juniper berries and wine in a large skillet or broad pot. Add enough water to come about two-thirds of the way up the side of the sauerkraut (in some pots,the wine may provide enough liquid). Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.
  • Lower heat, and nestle the bacon in the sauerkraut. Cover,and cook 1 hour; then, add sausages and pork chops,Recover,and cook another 30 to 45 minutes.Sauerkraut should be tender but retain some crunch.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cut meat into pieces and serve on platter with sauerkraut, hot mustard on the side.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 869, UnsaturatedFat 36 grams, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fat 62 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 47 grams, SaturatedFat 20 grams, Sodium 2710 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams

ALSATIAN CHOUCROUTE



Alsatian Choucroute image

Provided by Food Network

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

6 pounds sauerkraut
4 ounces duck fat
1 large onion, julienned
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
4 bay leaves
1-ounce juniper berries
1/2 bunch thyme
1 (750 ml) bottle Reisling wine
1 pound smoked bacon
8 pieces ham shanks (cured and salted)
1-quart chicken stock
8 large red bliss potatoes
4 pieces Weisswurst (veal and chicken sausage)
4 pieces Bauernwurst (salted smoked pork sausage
8 pieces Weiner (hot dog)
8 pieces smoked pork chop, cooked
Dijon mustard, for serving

Steps:

  • Wash sauerkraut thoroughly, put aside. In a rondeau melt the duck fat and saute the onion until tender, add garlic bay leaves, juniper berries and thyme. Saute until golden brown, deglaze with Reisling wine. Add 1/2 of the sauerkraut, place bacon slab and ham shanks in the middle and then top with remaining sauerkraut. Pour chicken stock over making sure it covers the sauerkraut (if not enough, add water). Cover the pan with foil and place in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 1 1/2 hours. Wash red bliss potatoes and steam whole for 30 to 40 minutes. Peel potatoes and set aside. Cut sausages in half and warm in boiling water. Place pork chops in oven to warm. Take sauerkraut out of the oven and remove bacon and ham shanks. Slice the bacon in half. Remove pork chops out of oven. Place sauerkraut in the center of a large oval tray, place all meats around sauerkraut, place bacon and ham shanks, on top of sauerkraut. Place warm potatoes around with the meat, Serve Dijon mustard on the side.

SLOW-COOKER CHOUCROUTE



Slow-Cooker Choucroute image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 6h10m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 large onion, peeled, root end left intact, and quartered
4 whole cloves
8 ounces thick-sliced smoked or pepper bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 garlic head, halved
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 (1-inch thick) smoked pork chops (about 10 ounces each)
1 pound kielbasa, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
2 Fuji or other baking apples, cored and cut into large chunks
1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup gin
Pumpernickel rye bread, mustards, horseradish, and cornichons, for serving

Steps:

  • Stud each onion quarter with a clove. Layer the bacon, sauerkraut, garlic, onion quarters, herb sprigs, bay leaves, pork chops, kielbasa, apples, and potatoes in the slow cooker in the order listed, then pour the wine and gin over the top. Cover the cooker and set it on LOW. Cook until the pork is falling off the bones and the potatoes are fork-tender, at least 6 and up to 8 hours.
  • Arrange the meats, potatoes, apples, onions, garlic, and sauerkraut on a large platter. Serve with pumpernickel rye bread, mustards, cornichons, and horseradish.

QUICK CHOUCROUTE GARNIE



Quick Choucroute Garnie image

Categories     Pork     Sauté     Fall     Winter     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound fully cooked smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), cut into 3-inch lengths, then halved lengthwise
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 bay leaf
1 pound purchased sauerkraut, drained
2/3 cup dry white wine

Steps:

  • Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, cut side down, and cook until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn over sausage; add onions, and sauté until onions are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

QUICK CHOUCROUTE GARNIE



Quick Choucroute Garnie image

Classic choucroute garnie combines sauerkraut, potatoes and a variety of meats. This version uses smoked sausage and is fast to get on the table.

Provided by lazyme

Categories     Pork

Time 30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb smoked sausage, fully cooked (such as kielbasa)
2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 bay leaf
1 lb sauerkraut, drained
2/3 cup dry white wine

Steps:

  • Cut the sausage into 3-inch lengths, then halve lengthwise.
  • Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, cut side down, and cook until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes.
  • Turn over sausage; add onions, and sauté until onions are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 593, Fat 43.2, SaturatedFat 13.8, Cholesterol 77.4, Sodium 2461.1, Carbohydrate 16.8, Fiber 4.3, Sugar 5.8, Protein 27.2

CHOUCROUTE GARNIE



Choucroute Garnie image

Categories     Pork     Potato     Bake     Sauté     Super Bowl     White Wine     Fall     Winter     Oktoberfest     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 3/4 pounds smoked meaty ham hocks
1 pound fully cooked bratwurst
8 ounces thick-sliced bacon strips, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
1teaspoon juniper berries (optional)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
8 whole allspice
3 bay leaves
3 Red Delicious apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 2-pound jars sauerkraut, squeezed dry
2 pounds fully cooked kielbasa, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 pound fully cooked knockwurst
2 cups Alsatian Pinot Blanc or other dry white wine
2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes
2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Assorted mustards
Prepared white horseradish

Steps:

  • Place ham hocks in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer hocks to medium bowl. Boil broth until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Place hock meat in medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover hock meat and broth separately; chill.)
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bratwurst and bacon. Sauté until bacon is crisp and bratwurst is brown, about 10 minutes. Place in bowl with hock meat.
  • Add onions, spices and bay leaves to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add apples; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in sauerkraut. Add all meats; press to submerge. Add reserved broth and wine. Boil 10 minutes. Cover choucroute and bake 1 1/2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half. Dip cut sides into parsley. Arrange sauerkraut and meats on platter. Surround with potatoes. Serve with mustards and horseradish.

CHOUCROUTE GARNIE



Choucroute Garnie image

This is a wonderful full flavoured main dish that makes a great winter meal. It's hearty and tasty,,worth making.

Provided by Xangus

Categories     Pork

Time 2h20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 lbs sauerkraut (preferably,from a jar or vac pac bag)
4 ounces roughly diced bacon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 unpeeled granny smith apple, grated
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 bouquet garni
8 juniper berries
8 ounces white wine
1 3/4 pints chicken stock
1 1/2 ounces butter
1 lb diced lean pork
1 lb smoked pork sausage, eg.kransky,knackwurst,cut into thick diagonal slices
4 tablespoons chopped parsley

Steps:

  • Soak Saurkraut for 30 mins in cold water.
  • Drain.
  • Cook bacon in a frying pan for about 5 mins, add oil,onion,carrots and cook, stirring until onion is golden.
  • Place Saurkraut,in a casserole dish, stir in bacon mixture, apple and carraway seeds.
  • Add juniper berries,boquet garni, wine and enough stock to just cover.
  • Top with buttered greaseproof paper and bring to simmering, cook for 30mins adding stock to stop any drying.
  • (this can be done in oven or in large pan on stove top.) Meltbutter in frying pan and cook pork stirring until golden.
  • Add pork and sausage to casserole Cook about 2 hours or until tender.
  • Remove boquet garni, sprinkle with chopped parsley.
  • Serve with ryebread, boiled potatoes and German style mustard.

ALSATIAN CHOUCROUTE GARNI



Alsatian Choucroute Garni image

Choucroute garni combines the smoky flavors of several sorts of sausage, pork butt, and thick-cut bacon with the pungent perfume of sauerkraut, bay leav es, juniper berries, and caraway seeds.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Pork Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 22

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole juniper berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole caraway seeds
2 dried bay leaves
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pound double-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 pound fresh bacon or salt pork (in 1 piece)
1 1/4 pounds smoked pork butt, sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces
4 pounds fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 bottle (750 mL) dry Riesling
8 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, or a combination (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled if desired
8 small carrots, peeled
3 coarse-textured smoked pork sausages, such as Hungarian kielbasa, bauerwurst, or smoked bratwurst (12 ounces total)
3 fine-textured pork-and-beef sausages, such as knockwurst or frankfurters (12 ounces total)
3 mild-spiced fine-textured white vealand-pork sausages, such as weisswurst or bockwurst (12 ounces total)
Fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish
Variety of mustards, for serving

Steps:

  • Make a spice bundle: Place spices, bay leaves, and garlic on a square of cheesecloth; tie into bundle with kitchen twine.
  • Heat oil in a very large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bacon, pork butt, and spice bundle. Cover with sauerkraut. Add wine and enough water to come 1 inch below sauerkraut. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer 45 minutes.
  • Add potatoes and carrots. Cover; cook until almost tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Using a skewer or the tip of a paring knife, poke a few holes into each sausage to prevent them from bursting. Place kielbasa in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning often, until browned, about 8 minutes. Put all sausages into the Dutch oven; cover, and cook until heated through, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausages and vegetables to a plate. Drain sauerkraut, and arrange on a serving platter. Arrange sausages and vegetables on top. Garnish with parsley, and serve with mustards.

CHOUCROUTE



Choucroute image

Enjoy this alsatian specialty with some good beer. I like making this with crunchy, bright, and tart fresh sauerkraut, which my mom brings me from France. It's also delicious with regular sauerkraut. I love how the meat juices infuse the cabbage and potatoes for a satisfying one-pot meal.

Yield Serves 12

Number Of Ingredients 16

3 tablespoons rendered duck or goose fat or unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 pounds fresh sauerkraut
4 fresh bay leaves
20 juniper berries packed in vinegar, rinsed well, or 1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
Kosher salt
3 fresh pig knuckles
1 rack (about 2 pounds) baby back ribs, cut in half
1/2 slab fresh bacon (about 4 inches)
1/2 slab double-smoked bacon (about 4 inches)
4 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 bottle (750 ml) dry Riesling
12 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
5 Alsatian knacks with natural casings or other German frankfurters
Very good Dijon mustard and horseradish sauce, for serving

Steps:

  • Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven or pot over medium-low eat. Melt the duck fat and butter, then add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden but not browned, about 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, rinse the sauerkraut under hot water to remove excess salt. When it starts to stick to your fingers, drain well and squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands.
  • Add the sauerkraut, bay leaves, and juniper berries to the onions, season with salt, and stir once. Arrange the knuckles, ribs, and both bacons in the sauerkraut, partially burying them in the mixture. Top with the garlic, then add the wine. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours.
  • About 30 minutes before serving, arrange the potatoes in a single layer over the meat. Cover and continue cooking until the potatoes and meat are tender.
  • About 20 minutes before serving, place the knacks in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a very gentle simmer and cook until heated through, about 15 minutes. Do not let the water boil or the knacks will explode.
  • Transfer the potatoes and meat from the Dutch oven to a large serving platter, let cool slightly, and slice the meat. Transfer the sauerkraut to the platter. Top with the knacks. Serve with mustard and horseradish sauce on the side.

Tips:

  • Use good quality sauerkraut. Look for sauerkraut that is naturally fermented and has a tangy, sour flavor.
  • Rinse the sauerkraut thoroughly before using. This will help to remove any excess salt and bitterness.
  • Add some sweetness to the dish. This can be done by adding apples, pears, or raisins.
  • Use a variety of meats. Choucroute is traditionally made with pork, but you can also use beef, lamb, or duck.
  • Cook the choucroute slowly. This will allow the flavors to develop and meld together.
  • Serve choucroute with a variety of sides. This could include mashed potatoes, spaetzle, or bread.

Conclusion:

Choucroute is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a great way to use up leftover meat. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make this classic dish at home. So next time you are looking for a new and exciting dish to try, give choucroute a try. You won't be disappointed!

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