Sauerkraut: must it be cooked for a long time?
 

I had a dear friend of German lineage who said that if using sauerkraut, it must be cooked.

I like sauerkraut, whether alone, on a dog, in a choucroute garnie, or with kielbasa.

Do you think it should be cooked for awhile (for flavor or texture) or does it matter?

I read a story long ago that a family wanted to make their own kraut and, since they would be away for a month, decided to let it ferment on the kitchen counter. Upon returning home, that had to keep every window in the house open for weeks!

Have you ever made your own from scratch? Inquiring minds want to know.

I'm German. My mother was the epitome of a German hausfrau. She could and had made her own kraut but preferred to purchase pre-made kraut. If she was serving as a side dish, something to put over hot food, it was heated. If on a sausage, cold was just fine. I prefer warm kraut, so always nuke it for about thirty seconds.

Thank you. Can you share your opinion on the necessity of cooking it for a longer time, like 30 minutes or so?

Some folks rinse it. Some folks add a tablespoon of sugar and some folks cook it for awhile. I think all of it makes it less piquant? Is that the right word?

Sauerkraut is sour because that is the way it is preserved, it was a way to keep a vegetable during the winter, before refrigeration...at least...partially. Some folks like the "STRONG" taste and some don't.

My wife likes to rinse it and warm it and depending on what she is making will add bacon onions such as with hot dogs or bratwurst, or sauerkraut and noodles.
Or kapusta sauerkraut rinse and split peas soup (split peas cooked down)

Speaking of sauerkraut my mother used to drink sauerkraut juice which is basically sauerkraut juice and water. I have continued that and have ordered sauerkraut juice online. In addition to it tasting good it also is a great laxative.

John

Seems like a waste of time to me. Think the kraut you used to buy in barrels needed rinsing and cooking, but not today's. It's already clean, cooked, pasteurized.

It will make the house smell pretty strong. I usually buy it, rinse it, add a little brown sugar, water and caraway seeds, and cook it with some polish sausage. I usually have to cook store bought about 1/2 hour before I like the texture. This is on low. You have to keep testing it until it is the doneness you like. I would think you wouldn't want to cook it until mushy if you are going to can it.

When growing up we would make kraut. It was always fun on a brisk fall day to go to the crock where the kraut was curing and eat the chilled fresh sauerkraut.
I do remember there was some yucky looking stuff on the top layer, that we scrapped off. That would most likely kill us today.

When making sauerkraut it needs fermentation. have made since I was a child. I don’t buy it in a can or jar, it’s not that hard to make. tons of recipes online. Family recipes stay in the family passed down generation.

Kapusta
 

OK, Kapusta is Polish for Cabbage. And as you know Sauerkraut is a cabbage shredded and treated with vinegar, salt etc. So here is what we do and it is awesome.
Brown some thick pork chops or sausages very well in Olive oil.
In the frying pan you will have a dark residue. So, when the Pork or Sausage or both is well done, lift them out of the pan and put in the sauerkraut direct form the jar, not from a can. I believe the can lining impacts the flavor, glass does not. Put the cooked meat on top of the Kraut. So then I let the mixture simmer for an hour or so on very low heat. Corning ware is good for this or an electric skillet. It is awesome for sure. You can sprinkle in a bit of garlic powder and some onion powder and mix it in to the batch while it is cooking on low.
Yes, you can drink beer when you are eating it.
bbbbbb :wave:

We dump it in a crock pot, add 4 thick pork chops with bones and 4 hours later ready to go and the pork cannot get any more tender. I would add dumplings but someone in our home won't let me.

There is no need to cook it for a long time the fermentation process preserves the cabbage as well as providing flavor. Fresh sauerkraut is slightly crunching and over heating it will destroy the texture. Most people like it hot so just heat it to warm it.

Some people like to dull the sharp taste of sauerkraut. That would be me.

Note...in defense; my grandmother was born in Stuttgart and my grandfather south of Munich.

I like sauerkraut rinsed, sugared with onion and cooked a long time.

If you want to calm it down, carrots can help.