Brats and same-day sauerkraut, an unexpectedly yummy meal.

Quick Sauerkraut

I stumbled across a new farmer’s market, and at that market they had handmade bratwurst. There’s no easier way to win the heart of my carnivorous husband and son, so I bought a package, not entirely sure about how I was going to cook it. I spent a bit of quality time with Google, reviewed a dozen recipes and then hand-picked the elements that I thought would work the best.

Ingredients

Bratwurst
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, julienned
1 10-ounce package shredded cabbage, or about 1/2 head of cabbage shredded with your food processor’s slicing blade
1/4 to 1/2 cup cider vinegar (use more if you want a tangier kraut)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Instructions

Pan-sear the brats in a large skillet until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add oil to the pan. Add onions and apples and saute until golden, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Add cabbage, vinegar and salt and cook until wilted, 2-4 minutes. Add apple juice and caraway seeds and bring to a boil. Return brats to the pan; reduce heat, cover and simmer until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Serve with grainy mustard, rye or rustic bread and lots of pickled vegetables.

Results

I had initially told the Tiny Kitchen Assistant that I was making German sausages and sauerkraut for dinner. He sulked and asked me why I couldn’t make California sausages instead. Being a clever mom, I wiped the kraut off of his brat and told him that I made a special California sausage just for him. Then I offered him some special “California applekraut” to go with it. Marketing spin: it’s what’s for dinner. He ate both and asked for the leftovers for his school lunch.

My husband needed no such encouragement, and gave the meal a solid thumbs up without any marketing spin required.

Tags: apples, bratwurst, cabbage, German, kraut, sauerkraut, sausage, stovetop