Some years back we lived in the mostly-German village of Ottawa, Ohio. It was the custom there to serve sauerkraut on New Year’s Eve for luck. So here’s a really good German sauerkraut recipe for you, and good luck to you!

 

Marie Mauger gave me this recipe while we were in Maine one summer. We rented an upstairs apartment in Marie and Bernie’s summer home.  Marie said it was adapted from a recipe by Magdalene Illg, the wife of a German butcher near where home in Pennsylvania.

 

German Style Sauerkraut

2 lb bag of sauerkraut

1 med onion, diced

olive oil, enough to sauté the onion

1 tsp sugar

12 juniper berries - count carefully (They aren’t poisonous, but eating many of the berries might upset your stomach. Like bay leaves, they’re just for flavor.)

1 med apple, diced (may leave skin on)

1 14 oz can chicken broth

1 c white wine, beer, or water

 

1. Sauté onion in olive oil in large Dutch oven until tender, but not browned.

2. Rinse sauerkraut under water, then add to onion.

3. Add sugar, juniper berries, apple, chicken broth.

4. Add wine, or beer, or water (as desired)

5. Cover and simmer for one hour.

 

6. Remove all the juniper berries before serving.

 

Serve with roast pork, knockwurst, hot dogs, kielbasa or whitefish.