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Charcroute Garnie
Ginger and Scotch

Choucroute Garnie

5 from 1 vote
A traditional dish from the Alsace region of France - hearty, warming, and perfect for chilly weather. This is my take on the recipe. Usually served with boiled potatoes, I prefer roasted potatoes or a vegetable side dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons goose fat , optional
  • 4 slices of bacon , preferably thick-cut and Maple flavor, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pound (450 g) pork belly, skin removed
  • 1 large onion , chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , coursely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon juniper berries
  • 4 whole allspice berries
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 Red Delicious apples , unpeeled, cored, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 500 grams (1 pound) sauerkraut, squeezed dry
  • 1 kg (2 pounds) of fully cooked assorted sausages (such as bratwurst, burenwurst, weisswurst, Frankfurter, Strasbourg, Montbéliard, kielbasa, etc)
  • 2 cups Alsatian Pinot Blanc or other dry white wine
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Assorted mustards and prepared white horseradish , as condiments

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Heat a heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the goose fat and bacon. Sauté until bacon is crisp but not burnt. Remove bacon from pan and set aside.
  4. Brown the pork belly in the bacon/goose fat for a few minutes per side and especially the fatty side on top. Remove pork belly and set aside with the bacon.
  5. Add onions and garlic to the pot and sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
  6. Place all the spices (juniper, allspice, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves) into a spice bag or wrap in cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine.
  7. Add apples, sauerkraut, bacon, wine, and chicken stock to the pot. Give it a good mix.
  8. Add the pork belly and spice bag, pressing them into the sauerkraut.
  9. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  10. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to bake for 1 and 1/2 hour.
  11. Meanwhile, brown the sausages in a little bit of olive or vegetable oil (about 1 tablespoon).
  12. When the sauerkraut mix has cooked for 1-1/2 hour, add the browned sausages and cover and bake for another 15 minutes so that the sausages are warmed up.
  13. Serve with boiled or roasted potatoes, assorted mustards and prepared horseradish for dipping the sausages. Enjoy!