Sauerkraut with bacon smothered in white wine… This is such a fresh and tasty side dish for pork or poached salmon steaks!
Sauerkraut with bacon, that is German cuisine at its best if you ask me.
Hmmm how I love a good choucroute! That is French for sauerkraut.
This recipe here is basically a side dish. I also like a good portion of this white wine sauerkraut topped off with pan fried bacon and Dutch smoked bologna sausages as a main dish.
Especially in the wintertime.
Delish.
Easy Sauerkraut with Bacon
But don’t be mistaken here: sauerkraut can also be a refreshing summer dish.
In that case I love it best when you serve with a gorgeous piece of poached or steamed wild salmon on top. And don’t you forget about that delicious drizzle of homemade buttery beurre blanc butter sauce of course!
The first time I tasted this combination of sauerkraut and buttery salmon was in a classic French bistro restaurant by the name of Metropole. That is a restaurant in Paris. You can find it easily because it is right opposite the Gare du Nord train station.
I remember that day like it was yesterday.
It was gushing rain outside and we were pretty much soaked to the bone when we walked in.
Metropole, Paris
However after a portion of steamed whelks on ice we were feeling perfectly alright again.
And then a gorgeous plateful of salmon, beurre blanc butter sauce and choucroute made its way to our table. Thrown in a delicious glass of Riesling wine and it’s pure heaven.
I used precooked sauerkraut that only needs another half an hour on the stove. My local supermarket sells it in small 1 lb (450 g) plastic bags. But you can of course use canned sauerkraut as well.
Just check the instructions on the package to see if it also needs that much of extra cooking time before serving.
Enjoy!
Easy Sauerkraut with Bacon Recipe
Sauerkraut with bacon smothered in white wine... This is such a fresh and tasty side dish for pork or poached salmon steaks!
- 9 oz canned sauerkraut (250 g), drained
- 3,5 oz unsalted bacon (100 g), sliced
- ½ cup dry white wine (120 ml)
- ½ cup water (120 ml)
- a handful fresh chives or parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp dried juniper berries
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- pepper
- salt
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Add the unsalted butter and the juniper berries to a large saucepan and place this over medium heat.
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Let the butter melt gently and simmer the berries in it for 2 minutes. Then add the sauerkraut to it. Season with a little pinch of pepper and salt.
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Stir well and cook the sauerkraut for 3 to 4 minutes. Then pour in the white wine and the water.
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Stir again and cover the pan now. Let the sauerkraut cook for 25 to 30 minutes until soft and smooth. The white wine cooking liquid should have disappeared more or less. In the meantime slice the bacon finely. Add it to the cooked sauerkraut in the end.
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Stir and check the seasoning. Add extra pepper and salt to taste if necessary. Add the freshly chopped chives (or parsley) now.
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Take the pan off the heat and stir well again. Scoop the sauerkraut into bowls and serve hot.
