Oktoberfest menu: channeling my inner-German (recipe)

Today is the last day of Oktoberfest, according to this morning’s San Francisco Chronicle. However, in my house, any day can be Oktoberfest, with a quick trip to my favorite German meat market and a few cups of homemade sauerkraut from my secret stash. Last week I pulled together an Oktoberfest dinner which was a big hit with my husband.

pork-chop-and-sauerkraut

Smoked Pork Chops with Sauerkraut and Cabbage

• 4-6 smoked pork chops (or sausages would work well too)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut in half, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/2 head of a large cabbage, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
• 2 cups fresh sauerkraut
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup medium bodied beer, preferable German (water can be used instead)
• salt and pepper

I vary this recipe depending on my mood. Sometimes, I want to grill the chops to heat them, which renders the edges crispy and bacon-like. Other times, I will nestle the chops in the sauerkraut and cabbage and heat over the stove. If you are using sausages that are pre-cooked, nestling them would be a nice way to reheat. If they need to be cooked, you might want to braise them in beer first, then add to the sauerkraut.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the onions until soft. Add the cabbage and sauerkraut, along with the caraway seeds, brown sugar and beer or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes, until the sauerkraut tastes like you want it too (the longer you cook sauerkraut, the mellower the flavor). At this point, you can add the pork chops or sausage and simmer additional 15-20 minutes until heated. Serve.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe for Spare Ribs, Cabbage and Sauerkraut from Simply Recipes. Elise’s Dad is German Austrian, and if you are interested in more sauerkraut recipes, be sure to check out her page devoted to them.

P.S. The large black berry in my photo is a juniper berry, which I added while making the sauerkraut this summer. I don’t recommend eating them, but they certainly make the dish look nice!