Old World Sauerkraut Supper

This slow cooker sauerkraut supper is the kind of one-pot meal that smells like a cold-weather hug. Polish kielbasa and crispy bacon get fried first, then everything goes into the crock pot with sauerkraut, cubed potatoes, apples, and caraway seeds for a long, lazy braise.

The apples are the sleeper ingredient here. They melt down during the hours of slow cooking and sweeten the sauerkraut’s sharp tang just enough to balance it out. Brown sugar does the same work from a different angle, rounding off the acidity without making it taste sweet.

Frying the sausage and bacon first and then stirring flour into the drippings creates a roux right in the skillet. That roux thickens the cooking liquid into a silky sauce instead of leaving you with a watery pot.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the sauerkraut and give it a quick rinse if you prefer a milder tang. Straight from the jar, it’s quite sharp.
• Cut the kielbasa into bite-sized pieces so they pick up more flavor from the sauerkraut during the long cook.
• Low and slow (7 to 9 hours) gives the best results. The high setting works in a pinch but the flavors don’t meld as deeply.
• This reheats beautifully the next day. The sauerkraut flavor continues to mellow and round out.

Variations

• Add a splash of beer or white wine in place of the water for a more robust cooking liquid.
• Use smoked sausage or bratwurst instead of kielbasa for a different regional twist.
• Stir in a tablespoon of whole grain mustard at the end for a sharp, tangy kick.