Kapuzta Sauerkraut Recipes

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT RECIPE (KVASHENAYA KAPUSTA)

Steps:

• Remove the outermost leaves of the cabbage, cut it into quarters and shred cabbage finely (use a mandolin to do this faster and discard the core.
• In a large silver bowl, place cabbage, carrots, 2 Tbsp sea salt and 1 Tbsp sugar and scrunch and knead it together really well for the juice to be released from the cabbage (4-5 min). You don't want it to be super juicy, just enough to cover the lettuce when you really pack it down in a jar.
• Scrunch it until juices start to come out.
• Fill a glass jar with the cabbage mixture and pack it in very tightly so that the juice from the cabbage covers the cabbage completely. You want a jar big enough to be filled only about 2/3 full so it has room to expand.
• Make a press over the top of the cabbage by pushing down with a plate (or the lid from a large sour cream container). Top with a small jar of water, a super clean rock or whatever else would make a good weight. Place the lid on the jar but do not tighten. Its a good idea to keep the bottle in the sink or over a dish since there is risk of it overflowing (this is also why we only fill it 2/3 full; it grows!). Let stand at room temp for 4 days or until sour. It will stop fermenting/rising when it's done.
• While it sits at room temperature, once each day: poke a few holes through the cabbage with the back of a wooden mixing spoon to release the gas that this process produces and pack the cabbage down tightly.
• After 4 days, refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be stored for a few weeks if kept very cold.

KAPUSTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat; saute onions and mushrooms until tender.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, boil cabbage for 10 minutes.
• In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish combine onions, mushrooms, cabbage, sauerkraut, sugar, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well. Dot remaining 2 tablespoons butter on top. Cover.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

KAPUSTA (SAUERKRAUT)

Steps:

• Sauté bacon bits until almost crispy. Add butter and onions and cook for about 5 minutes until onions are lightly golden.
• Rinse sauerkraut in a strainer under gently running cold water and squeeze out thoroughly to remove excess water; add to the bacon and onion mixture.
• Add the peeled, grated potato (or the carrots or apple).
• Add chicken broth, brown sugar, bay leaves, and seasonings. Stir to mix thoroughly.
• Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until everything is heated thoroughly. Transfer to a roasting pan.
• Cover and bake in 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes up to 1 hour until kapusta is browned slightly.
• Stir occasionally and add water or chicken broth if necessary (push kapusta aside and check bottom of roasting pan for liquid).

KAPUZTA (SAUERKRAUT)

Steps:

• Brown onion in hot skillet (about 10 minutes)-Optional.
• Combine all the ingredients, except the brown sugar, in a 5 quart Dutch oven or slow cooker.
• Mix lightly; simmer all day.
• The last half hour of cooking, add the brown sugar.
• The longer the better.

POLISH KAPUSTA

Steps:

• Cook onion and kielbasa in frying pan until onions are translucent.
• Drain liquid from sauerkraut.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Transfer to a buttered casserole dish.
• Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

POLISH SAUSAGE AND SAUERKRAUT CASSEROLE (KAPUSTA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bring sausage to boil and simmer 15 minutes; drain and set aside.
• Cut bacon into small pieces.
• Begin browning, then add diced onion.
• Saute together until bacon is almost crisp.
• Drain mixture, reserving bacon grease.
• Drain sauerkraut (do not rinse).
• Add sauerkraut and brown sugar to bacon mixture.
• Mix in about 2 Tablespoons reserved bacon grease and water.
• Place in large casserole dish.
• Cut Polish sausage into 3" pieces and place on top of sauerkraut.
• Cover and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour 15 minutes, checking sauerkraut mixture halfway through to add more water if sauerkraut appears very dry.
• Finish baking; remove from oven.
• Taste sauerkraut and, if desired, adjust flavor by adding salt and pepper, or a little more brown sugar, vinegar or bacon grease to your taste. (Note: In the old days, Busia (Grandma) would soak a cup of yellow peas overnight to soften them and would mix them into the sauerkraut. It was probably to stretch the quantity, but I don't do it anymore!).