Garnished sauerkraut according to the Kalendovsky recipe
Garnished sauerkraut is a delicious dish during the cold winter months. I prepare it every winter according to the recipe I received 20 years ago from the Kalendovsky store in the heart of Brussels. The sauerkraut shop no longer exists, but I have preserved the recipe well.
From China to Europe
Sauerkraut is not a Western invention. The fermented vegetable was prepared 2,000 years ago in China and then spread through Russia and Eastern Europe to the rest of the world. In Germany, sauerkraut became a popular vegetable. Garnished with various types of sausage and charcuterie, sauerkraut is now a popular winter dish in most parts of Europe.
You can also eat sauerkraut without the meat. Season it with a spice such as cumin or add it to a stew. You can find ready-made sauerkraut in a jar or plastic container, but it pays to buy raw sauerkraut and prepare it yourself. I still use the recipe I got 20 years ago from Charcuterie Tchécoslovaque Kalendovsky.
Charcuterie Tchécoslovaque Kalendovsky
Charcuterie Tchécoslovaque Kalendovsky was opened in 1904 by Mr. Pobuda, an Austrian with Czech roots. Pobuda sold sauerkraut from Germany and made charcuterie according to the old tradition. After World War I, he left his business to one of his employees, Franz Kalendovsky. Franz continued to expand the business, increasing the assortment and improving the quality of the charcuterie. In the 1950s, Kalendovsky in turn transferred the business to the Jacques family. Mr. Claude Jacques developed the Frankfurter sausage with garlic and marjoram and prepared the Kassler rib a little differently than in Germany. He smoked the meat using the hot smoking method. Unfortunately, Charcuterie Kalendovsky has disappeared from the Brussels culinary scene. I can only think back with nostalgia to the artisanal charcuterie and sauerkraut that Claude Jacques made with passion and expertise. In high season, he made seven thousand Frankfurter sausages a week. He sold about thirty-five tons of sauerkraut every year.
The Frankfurter
Frankfurter sausages are a must for any dish served with sauerkraut. The sausages are made with a mixture of pork and veal. The frankfurters are smoked and cooked in the smokehouse. This makes them nice and crispy. Vienna sausages are less crunchy because they are poached after smoking.
Garnished sauerkraut, the recipe of Charcuterie Tchécoslovaque Kalendovsky
I follow the original recipe from Charcuterie Tchécoslovaque Kalendovsky. I have added juniper berries to the preparation.
Some tips to help you prepare
- For the meat, you can choose between cured or smoked.
- The cooking time is quite long. Make sure the sauerkraut does not burn. Add a splash of water from time to time without drowning the sauerkraut.
- It is best to use a pot with a thick bottom. I use a cast iron Dutch oven that is not enameled on the inside.
- You can also use sauerkraut with wine. In this case, the cooking time is reduced by 1 hour because the wine makes the cabbage softer.
- You should always rinse raw sauerkraut first to reduce the acidic taste. Do not rinse raw sauerkraut fermented with wine.
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 1.2 kg raw sauerkraut
- 2 tablespoons shortening or clarified butter
- 1 large onion
- 2 dl dry white wine
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large sprig of thyme
- 6 juniper berries
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 slices of smoked or salted lean bacon
- 600 g smoked or salted blade pork chops
- 4 thick slices of Paris or Toulouse sausage
- 4 pairs of Frankfurter sausages
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Preparation:
Chop the onion, peel the garlic cloves and cut the bacon into large cubes. Rinse the sauerkraut in a colander under running water.
Melt the butter and fry the bacon cubes in it. Remove the bacon and fry the pork chops. Remove the chops from the pan. Remove the excess fat and cook the onion until soft. Moisten with white wine. Add the sauerkraut, garlic, herbs and spices. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 2.5 hours. After an hour, add the blade chops to the sauerkraut, and during the last 15 minutes, add the diced bacon and the Paris or Toulouse sausage. Remove the lid to allow the excess juices to evaporate.
Heat the Frankfurters. Place the sausages in hot water for 10 minutes, but do not boil them or they will burst. Cut the chops into pieces.
Arrange the sauerkraut and meat on a preheated plate and serve with boiled potatoes and mustard.
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