Braised Sauerkraut with Pork Chops, Sausages, Potatoes, and Mustard

  • This is a simple, classic, delicious, hearty, all-in-one winter time dish meant to be shared! We cooked the onions and sauerkraut in a bit of wine and chicken stock to give the dish that extra punch of savory, winey flavor. We kept it traditional by using different types of German sausages like bratwurst and weisswurst (or white sausages). Make this recipe your own by grilling up a few of your favorite sausages like spicy chorizo, smokey andouille, or sweet Italian, and choosing a good wine to cook the tangy sauerkraut, creating a perfect match. Finally, as if kraut and sausage with plenty of mustard for your dipping pleasure wasn’t enough, we threw in some golden buttery potatoes. Because in our not so humble opinion, life just isn’t worth living without the combo of delicious, savory meat paired with melt in your mouth potatoes!
  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 ½ hours
  • Serves 6

Sauerkraut:

  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • ⅔ cup dry vermouth or white wine
  • 2 pounds sauerkraut, drained
  • ⅔ cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seed
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Pork Chops, Sausages, and Potatoes:

  • 12 pork breakfast sausages
  • 4 bratwurst
  • 4 weisswurst
  • 6 pork chops
  • 8 thin slices of boiled ham
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup dijon mustard, for dipping
  • thyme sprigs or chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • To prepare the sauerkraut, combine the onions and vermouth in a large saucepan and simmer, covered, until the onions are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and set aside to keep warm.
  • Meanwhile, prick the sausages, bratwurst, and weisswurst with a paring knife and cook on a grill, grill pan, or lightly oiled skillet over medium-high-heat until well browned and cooked through. Transfer to a platter and cook the pork chops in the same manner.
  • Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and place in a small bowl. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside to keep warm.
  • To serve, quickly warm the boiled ham. Nestle the pork chops, sausages, boiled ham, and potatoes with the sauerkraut. Garnish with thyme sprigs or chopped parsley and serve with a side of dijon mustard.
  • May be prepared a day ahead.