Choucroute Garnie

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Jacques Pépin's version of classic Alsatian braised sauerkraut with assorted meats, sausages, and potatoes is sure to become a winter tradition in your kitchen.

Choucroute Garnie
Photo:

Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell

Active Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Refrigerate Time:
8 hrs
Total Time:
10 hrs 40 mins
Yield:
10 servings

Families in Alsace generally eat choucroute garnie during the wintertime, because it's such a hearty, filling dish. Jacques Pépin has adapted the recipe to make it quicker and easier — calling for store-bought sauerkraut instead of the homemade kind, for instance, and suggesting peanut oil as a substitute for duck or goose fat, which may be less accessible.

Frequently asked questions

Is choucroute the same as sauerkraut?

Choucroute is the French name for sauerkraut, or fermented cabbage. For this recipe, Jacques Pépin calls for six pounds of store-bought sauerkraut; specifically, he advises purchasing it bagged in the refrigerated section. Unlike canned or jarred sauerkraut, which requires pasteurization and often contains preservatives, bagged sauerkraut is raw, so it retains some crunch. Also, it typically has minimal extra ingredients, so it's better suited for absorbing the flavors in this dish.

What do you eat with choucroute?

Choucroute garnie, meaning "garnished sauerkraut," originated in the Alsace region of France, which borders Germany to the east. Here, the "garnish" is an assortment of meats and charcuterie — pork ribs, kielbasa, hot dogs, and ham. The dish often includes potatoes as well, as in this recipe.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Pépin always serves two or three types of mustard with the choucroute — a hot Dijon, a grainy Pommery, and often a tarragon-flavored mustard.

Make ahead

If you'd like to get a head start making this dish, the recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat before proceeding.

Suggested pairing

In Alsace, choucroute's traditional wine partner is either a rich, spicy Gewürztraminer or a bone-dry, crisp Riesling. However, an Alsace Gewürztraminer can actually overpower choucroute's spicy, herby flavors and make the dish taste sweet. A better match is an Alsace Riesling, which is delicately floral with an acidity that matches the sauerkraut and balances the richness of the pork.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 3 pounds pork back ribs or baby back ribs, cut into 3 sections

  • 6 pounds sauerkraut (in plastic bags), drained

  • 1/4 cup duck or goose fat, or peanut oil

  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

  • 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

  • 20 juniper berries

  • 3 large bay leaves

  • 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 cups chicken stock

  • 1 1/2 cups Riesling or Pinot Gris

  • 2 pounds Polish kielbasa, skinned and cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 10 skinless hot dogs

  • 1 (2-pound) piece of boneless boiled ham (3 to 4 inches wide), sliced 1/4-inch thick

  • 2 pounds medium potatoes (about 10), peeled

  • Assorted mustards, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large, sturdy, resealable plastic bag, combine the 1/3 cup of kosher salt with the sugar. Add the pork ribs; shake well to thoroughly coat the ribs with the seasonings. Seal the bag and refrigerate the ribs overnight or for up to 24 hours.

  2. The next day, preheat the oven to 300°F. Rinse the sauerkraut in cold water and squeeze dry. Set a large roasting pan over two burners on high heat and melt the duck fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the sauerkraut, juniper berries, bay leaves, caraway seeds, black pepper, stock, and wine; bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

  3. Meanwhile, rinse the pork ribs under cold water and pat dry. Nestle the pork ribs in the sauerkraut and bring back to a boil over moderately high heat. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

  4. Remove the pork ribs from the sauerkraut. Cut down in between the ribs. Return the ribs to the sauerkraut and nestle in the kielbasa, hot dogs, and ham. Cover and bake until the meats are hot, about 25 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

  5. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat; cook the potatoes until tender when pierced. Drain the potatoes and cover to keep warm.

  6. To serve, mound the hot sauerkraut in the center of very hot dinner plates and partially tuck in the pork ribs and the kielbasa. Arrange the hot dogs and ham around the sauerkraut. Alternatively, pile the sauerkraut on a large heated platter and garnish with the meats. Serve the choucroute with the boiled potatoes and assorted mustards.

Originally appeared: December 2006