Of course I cook sauerkraut casserole, I’m Polish. Normally I make a more rugged version with fresh cabbage and homemade elk sausage, but for those less adventuresome, this version is more on the dainty gourmet side.
Ingredients
- 16 oz Kielbasa sausage – sliced or cut into strips
- 27 oz Sauerkraut – rinsed and well drained (unless you like it more sour)
- 8 oz Water
- 2 Apples – peeled and quartered
- 1 Onion – chopped
- 0.5 cup Brown sugar
- 2 tsp Caraway seeds
Process
- Mise en Place: Measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (~175 C).
- In skillet, cook sausage and onion over Med, then drain fat.
- Stir in apples, sauerkraut, water, sugar, and caraway seeds.
- Transfer to 2.5 quart baking dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 60 mins.
Note1: for German flare, cut potatoes into 0.5″ cubes, boil 5 mins and add to mix in step 4.
Note 2: for Italian flare, substitute mild Italian sausage with fennel seeds for the Kielbasa.
Note 3: If sauerkraut’s too sour for your refined pallet you can soak the drained sauerkraut in water to soften the bite or chop a cabbage into strips and cook in olive oil.
Note 4: Sometimes I dice the apples to better integrate their contribution to the overall dish.
Note 5: The purpose of the sugar is to calm the acid in the sauerkraut. You can adjust for your tastes.
