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plate with sauerkraut and bacon with mustard bowl beside.
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4.69 from 16 votes

Bavarian Sauerkraut

Bavarian sauerkraut – a regional recipe for the famous German sauerkraut. This is the perfect side dish for many German meat dishes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: German Sides
Cuisine: German
Servings: 4
Calories: 130kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 1 can sauerkraut about 800 g/ 1.8 lb. (Note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat Note 2
  • 1 onion about 75 g/ 2.6 oz
  • 2 oz bacon Note 3,4
  • 1 medium apple about 150 g/ 3.5 oz
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup apple cider Note 5
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • about ½ teaspoon fine sea salt to taste
  • about ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Prepare: Drain the sauerkraut. Finely chop the onions and cut the bacon into small cubes. Peel and dice the apple.
  • Heat the fat in a saucepan. Cook the onions and the bacon for about 3 minutes on medium-low heat. Add the apple and stir for another 3 minutes.
  • Caramelize: Sprinkle the sugar on top, stir and let caramelize slightly for about 1-2 minutes.
  • Simmer: Add sauerkraut, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, cider/white wine/ apple juice. Stir well, cover, and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes.
  • Serve immediately or reheat.

Video

Notes

  1. Either fresh (homemade or from the butchers), from a can, jar, or bag. Search for a German product for genuine taste and texture. I recommend Mildessa/Hengstenberg. (Amazon affiliate link, but I am not getting paid for recommending the products).
  2. Or lard or schmalz. Vegetable or olive oil can be used instead.
  3. I had lean bacon cubes, but regular bacon is perfect as well. Preferably the one sold unsliced, as it is nicer to have the cubes in the dish than some chopped thin slices.
  4. To make the dish vegetarian/vegan, use oil and leave out the bacon.
  5. Or white wine or apple juice. If using dry white wine, you might want to adjust the taste with another ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 1204mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g