German sausage with sauerkraut in beer, slowly oven roasted with bacon, brats, pancetta, garlic, lots of beer and is comfort food at its finest.
This recipe for Anita’s delicious German sausage with sauerkraut in beer is wonderful comfort food. Remember way back in the 1960’s, when people still thought science was a pretty good idea, the Russelmann family of New York, enjoying a quiet Sunday afternoon reading the Schenectady Gazette, happened upon a recipe for Choucroute Garnie. Choucroute Garnie, in this case, means sauerkraut topped with sausages and layered with lots of salty meats. However in this version a layer of lean bacon is used to line a 9” x 9” casserole dish. Sauerkraut tops the bacon and is in turn topped with pancetta and sausages. Then, a couple of bottles of fine German Pils gets poured over the top for good measure and slow roasted to perfection. Sounds good.
Anita, from Texas, sent us this recipe and a photograph of her Choucroute Garnie, and we immediately gave this recipe a try. We did however get tired of mispronouncing Choucroute Garnie so we renamed the recipe, Anita’s German Sausage with Sauerkraut in Beer.
This recipe is a modified version of the original published in the Schenectady Gazette. That recipe had you lining the bottom of your casserole dish with pork rinds rather than lean bacon, and then layering with sauerkraut, salt pork, smoked pork loin, knockwurst and pork sausage links. Yikes that’s a lot of meat. Thankfully, Anita’s version is much simpler.
Anita tells us she often uses bratwurst or a hearty German or Polish sausage ring, as they’re really good and a lot easier to find at any grocery.
Yum
German Sausage with Sauerkraut in Beer
Serves 4
Prep Time: About 20:00 minutes
Cooking Time: About 4:00 hours
Tools you’ll need:
A 9” x 9” Casserole Dish
Ingredients:
1 lb. Lean Bacon
2.5 lb. Sauerkraut (Anita says the jar variety is best)
3-4 Garlic cloves, Diced
Pancetta (note this is our addition to the recipe and is optional)
4 Brats or German Sausages or Polish sausage rings (enough for 4)
2-3 cans or bottles of beer – your choice
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 casserole dish with bacon.
Note: Be prepared to add additional beer if it begins to dry out too much. This is a great dish to make, as the weather turns cooler. Enjoy!
Pour two bottles of beer over the casserole and cook in your oven for two-hours.
Note: Be prepared to add additional beer if it begins to dry out too much. This is a great dish to make, as the weather turns cooler. Enjoy!Drain the sauerkraut. Using half, arrange the kraut in a layer in the bottom of your casserole dish.
Pour two bottles of beer over the casserole and cook in your oven for two-hours.
Serve with roasted rosemary potatoes, hearty homemade rye, some good spicy mustard and beer.
Note: Be prepared to add additional beer if it begins to dry out too much. This is a great dish to make, as the weather turns cooler. Enjoy!