This is the best sauerkraut you will ever eat! It has a soft and smooth texture and a very mild taste. The secret is not only the cream but also the “Kassler” (smoked pork chops) and the crushed pineapples. It is very easy to make, quick, too but it turns out best if you let it cook for an hour.
When my mom made Sauerkraut, she would just open a can, throw the content in a pot and heat it for a couple of minutes until it was hot – or at least warm. That. Was.It. … and I hated it! I could not imagine why anyone in the world would want to eat this and the argument “it’s healthy” didn’ make it better.
So for the most part of my adulthood, I intentionally avoided Sauerkraut. I once had it in Bavaria with a “Schweinshaxe” (pork leg) and it seemed a lot better than my moms “creation” but with the bay leaf and the juniper berries, it still didn’t really conquer my heart.
And then one day I came across this recipe for a creamed sauerkraut. And I thought: “There is basically nothing that can’t be made delicious with some cream.” So I decided to give it a try and voila: The entire family fell in love with it! It is THE COMFORT FOOD, not only on cold winter days.
We always make this for Oktoberfest, we also put it in a hot dog (wow!) but we also make it sometimes just with some mashed potatoes on the side.
The cream in the recipe softens the sour taste of the sauerkraut without taking it away completely. It also softens it – especially if you cook it at low temperature for an hour. And if you have a leftover: It tastes even better the next day!!!
The crushed pineapples help to make the cream not tasting too heavy. As delicious as the cream is, it can be quite dominant but not so with the pineapple in it.
I always cube some smoked pork chops and fry it in the beginning. Some people might prefer to leave the chops in one piece and just add them on top of the sauerkraut while it is cooking. The taste of the meat will still get into the sauerkraut but there will not be the browning, which gives it so much more taste. But maybe try both ways and decide for yourself, which way you prefer it.
I hope you like the recipe. Leave me a message what you think of this creamed sauerkraut with cream.
Creamed Sauerkraut - German Version
Ingredients
- 1 jar sauerkraut
- 1 medium onion, cubed
- 4-6 slices smoked pork chops or loin, cubed
- 1-2 cups of heavy cream or each half amount cream and milk
- ⅙ cup sugar
- ½ to 1 can crushed pineapples
- salt and pepper if needed
- some oil for cooking
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a large cooking pot.
- Add the cubed pork and fry until browned, then remove it and set aside.
- Add some more oil to the pot and fry the onions for a couple of minutes.
- Sprinkel the sugar on the onions and caramelize a little.
- Add the sauerkraut. If you are using amerikan sauerkraut, you need to wash it first. German sauerkraut is ready to use.
- Stir everything and add about 1/2 can of the pinapples. You can add more later if you want the taste to be more present.
- Now add the cream or the cream/milk mix and bring back to a slight boil.
- Bring the pork back into the pot and stir into the sauerkraut.
- Lower heat and let slightly cool for about 1 hour.
- Make some mashed potatoes as a side.
Notes
Pinterest Pin
first time I have eaten sauerkraut but your recipe has made this dish a favourite
Happy to hear! :-)
I have bought a 650g jar of Hengstenberg sauerkraut to make your Creamed Sauerkraut
and think 6 servings would be appropriate for this amount.. Can I use half (for three people ) and freeze the remainder?
Yes, that should work :-)
i add apple, onions & caraway seeds to my cabbage Too.We love it that way.
How many ounces in a jar? Most jars are 16 to 32 ounces. I have a 32 ounce bag.
I just checked the jar: it’s 24 oz
What size is the jar of sauerkraut you use in the recipe?
IT’s half a gallon, this item: https://amzn.to/3hoBFRF
Hi i live in houston where do you get your smoked pork chops
Thank you
Hi Sandra, I used to get it at HEB but it seems that they don‘t carry it any longer. You can also get it at Walmart and at a Super Target. This is the brand I am using:
http://www.smithfield.com/products/anytime-favorites/bone-in-smoked-pork-chops/
If you can‘t find any, just get a thick slice of Canadian bacon or some ham instead. Central Market would also be an option to find pork chops.
I hope I could help.
Thanks for this Wonderful Recipe I just posted pictures on my Snapchat story and how to find this my Husband absolutely loved it we used our own home made Saurkraut I wasn’t sure about the crushed pineapple in this but you would never know I could taste just a hint of it and I think it cuts the tartness of the Saurkraut!!!!!!! Thanks again Chef I may not be German but I sure do love cooking German Receipes.
So this is a Award Winning Dish Bravo!!!!!!!!!
I had never thought to combine cream & sauerkraut, and to be honest I couldn’t imagine those flavors working together! My first reaction was ‘BLECH!’, but I’ve never been more happy to be wrong! I cooked up this recipe for dinner last night for the fam and we loved it! My son Brian is asking me to make more tonight because we don’t have any leftovers! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
I am very happy you all liked it. It’s actually the same with my son, he is always asking for more!
This looks so delicious!! Thank you for sharing!