Linda’s Super Sauerkraut Stew

This recipe started a Standing tradition for Linda Naylor of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She found it in a magazine in 1988, and decided it would be a great dish to serve at a Super Bowl party. So, in 1989, she started having Super Bowl parties, and the recipe, with Linda’s touches, has remained the star of the show. “One year I did fix something else and was politely requested by everyone to return to the usual,” Linda says. Linda serves the stew with a few different hearty homemade breads, such as potato-caraway seed, onion-walnut, pumpernickel, or cheddar cheese-black pepper.

 

SERVES 20

 

6	29-ounce cans sauerkraut or 10 pounds fresh bagged sauerkraut
4	cups water
1	pound bacon
4	large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3	pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
3	pounds pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
	Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2	pounds smoked garlic sausage, sliced ½-inch thick
6	bay leaves
4	small yellow onions, cut into quarters

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Rinse the sauerkraut with cold water and drain in a colander. Place the sauerkraut in a large pot with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then drain. Put the sauerkraut into a large roasting pan.
3. In a large frying pan, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the pan to drain, and set aside. Sauté the chopped onions in the bacon fat for about 4 minutes. Add the beef and pork and sauté until browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Add the contents of the frying pan, including the juices, to the roasting pan. Add half of the sliced sausage, all of the bay leaves, and the quartered onions to the roasting pan. Mix well. Scatter the remaining sausage on top. Cover and bake for 2 hours, then remove the cover and bake for another 30 minutes.
5. If the stew seems too juicy, thicken it with 4 teaspoons of flour rubbed into 1 tablespoon of butter. If it’s too dry, add a little white wine or water. Serve hot or warm.

EXTRA POINTS This is a recipe for big eaters, but it freezes well. You can prepare it well in advance and freeze it all, make it 1 day ahead and freeze half for your next tailgate extravaganza, or serve it all and freeze any leftovers.