Entree: Saint Pierre and Miquelon – Choucroute Garnie (Braised sauerkraut cooked with white wine and an assortment of sausages and salted smoked pork)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 40 min

Additional 20 min

Total 2 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) sauerkraut, well-drained and rinsed briefly if very salty
- 2 cups (480 ml) dry white wine (Riesling or dry white)
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken or pork stock
- 1 lb (454 g) pork shoulder, bone-in or boneless, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 lb (450 g) smoked pork hock or smoked ham hock, whole
- 8 oz (225 g) slab bacon or smoked salt pork, thick-cut and cubed
- 4 smoked bratwurst-style sausages, approx. 4 oz (115 g) each
- 4 frankfurter or Strasbourg sausages, approx. 3 oz (85 g) each
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 8–10 juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or butter
- 1 tsp (5 g) caraway seeds (optional)
- 1 lb (450 g) waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), scrubbed (to serve)
- Dijon mustard, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat oil or butter in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onions and carrots and cook until soft and beginning to brown, about 8–10 minutes.
2. Add cubed bacon and cook until fat renders and pieces begin to color. Stir in garlic, juniper berries, caraway (if using), and peppercorns for 1 minute.
3. Add drained sauerkraut to the pot and spread evenly. Nestle the pork shoulder pieces and smoked hock into the sauerkraut. Pour in white wine and stock until liquid just covers the sauerkraut. Add bay leaves.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours until the meats are tender and the flavors have melded. Check occasionally and add a little water if liquid reduces too far.
5. With about 20–25 minutes remaining, place the potatoes in a separate pot of salted water and simmer until tender, about 15–20 minutes; drain and keep warm.
6. In the final 15–20 minutes of cooking, add the sausages on top of the sauerkraut to heat through and finish cooking. Alternatively, brown sausages briefly in a skillet and finish in the pot.
7. Remove meats and sausages to a platter and keep warm. Discard bay leaves and peppercorns if desired. Arrange sauerkraut on a large serving platter, top with the meats and sausages, and serve with boiled potatoes and Dijon mustard at the table.