Notoriously hearty, Alsacian cuisine heavily features influences from its neighbor, Germany. This results in exceptional recipes like this one: a fragrant feast of pork and sauerkraut stewed in white wine. One of my favorite stick-to-your-ribs comforting dishes that’s perfect for cold days.
With four different types of pork meats and loads of aromatics, a choucroute garnie may seem like a big dish to take on. But trust me, once you finish your shopping, you’ve completed most of the work. It is a stove-top, one-pot meal that requires only a rapid prep, a quick sear of the meat and little attention as it slow-simmers.
I have my methods for simplifying the recipe: I use store-bought sauerkraut. I sear the meat in lard instead of duck fat. And I happily sneak in Italian sausages if I can’t find kielbasa. That said, mustard and crusty rye bread on the side is non-negotiable.
SERVES 8
¼ cup (50 g) duck fat or lard
1 lb (454 g) double-smoked slab bacon, cut in 4 pieces widthwise
1 lb (454 g) Polish kielbasa, cut in 2” (5-cm) pieces
4 bratwurst sausages (¾ lb [340 g] total), cut in half
½ rack (1 lb [454 g]) baby back ribs, halved crosswise
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 (28-fl oz [828-ml] each) jars sauerkraut, drained
2 bay leaves
5 cloves
½ tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp juniper berries
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1½ cups (375 ml) chicken stock
1½ cups (375 ml) dry white wine (ideally, an Alsatian Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Pinot Gris)
6–7 medium-size potatoes, peeled and halved
Grainy mustard and rye bread, for serving
In a large Dutch oven (8 quarts [7.5 L] or larger), melt the duck fat over medium-high heat. Sear the meat in several batches, until browned: bacon, 3 to 4 minutes per side; kielbasa, 3 to 4 minutes per side; bratwurst, 2 minutes per side; ribs, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Reserve on a plate.
Add the garlic to the pot, and cook for 3 minutes. Thoroughly drain the sauerkraut in a fine-mesh strainer, and add it to the pot. Add the bay leaves, cloves, caraway seeds, juniper berries and black peppercorns. Stir with a wooden spoon until evenly warmed. Add in the chicken stock and white wine. Nestle the reserved meat in the sauerkraut, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Add in the potatoes, and cook for an additional 30 minutes until tender.
Serve on a large plate, with grainy mustard and rye bread.