Bratwurst mit (with) Sauerkraut and a beer is a meal made for a man! Okay us ladies will also really enjoy this meal for it’s flavors and if it’s your turn to cook dinner for it’s convenience. Sauerkraut is the German word for a fermented finely shredded white cabbage. Sauerkraut is somewhat sour and has a slight crunchiness or crispness to it. It is a common ingredient in not only German but several Slavic dishes and let’s not forget a delicious French dish called Choucroute Garnie made with sauerkraut, sausages and some salted meats. I really liked Choucroute but other than that I mostly have seen or have used Sauerkraut used as a topping for grilled sausages and both as a side dish and inside of Polish Pierogi dumplings.
Bratwurst means sausage in German, the sausage is made of either Veal,pork or beef. The Bratwurst I like the most is the one made from Veal and it is the one that I will use for this recipe. In the US when you think Bratwurst you think of a grilled sausage inside a hot dog bun or roll, usually served with mustard, grilled onions and or sauerkraut. On our trips to Germany and Austria, we have been served Bratwurst with sauerkraut and either mashed or boiled potatoes. Usually there is some assorted mustard and breads on the table to go with the meal. If you are looking for fast food style Bratwurst in either Germany or Austria you can find such a variety of Bratwurst ,depending on the region, just from small cafes or vendors. Oh, and don’t forget to try their famous Currywurst, made from pork and seasoned with a sauce made of ketchup and curry powder.
Every trip we make to Germany and Vienna we always have at least a couple of Bratwurst meals. It’s a meal we both enjoy and want on more occasions than just on trips. This is my recreation of this yummy dish, did I mention that it’s super easy and fast to make? Well it is just perfect for nights when you don’t have a lot of time to cook.
Your ingredients:
Serves 2
1 bag of Sauerkraut ( 500 grams / 17.64 ounces ), drain most of the liquid
6 juniper berries
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 large onion, sliced
Sunflower oil
3 Bratwurst, use as many sausage as you want or each person eats
2. While the sauerkraut is cooking you can either grill the Bratwurst or cook in in a frying pan with a little bit of oil.
If you want you can also fry some more onion to put on top of the Bratwurst. You could also serve with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes on the side and mustard. Ah don’t forget that beer goes great with this meal, your man will be very pleased :)
Here are a couple of snapshots from two different trips one to Berlin and the other to Vienna. I unfortunately couldn’t find a snapshot of Bratwurst with mash potatoes from our trips.
Ooo – made for me!!
Having lived in Bavaria, and my mom was 110% German, I can appreciate this meal. I don't like sauerkraut (I'm the only family member who says this), but I love red cabbage. This makes me miss my family in German. Schmekt gut!
That looks like a great meal to have after a hard night out! It sounds super tasty.
My favorite part of this recipe: the beer pairing. Looks SO good!
@ Belinda, Good to hear !
@ A Feast for Eyes- Danke! You know I don't like the red cabbage because it's sweet here, but I wonder if German or Bavarian red cabbage is like this?
@Linn- It's perfect for that.
@ Rick- Yeah definitely wouldn't be the same without it :)
Ohh…I love German Sausage so much. Thank you for sharing this post.
Es geht nichts ueber eine gute Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut!! Bei mir gibt es dazu Kartoffelbrei oder Kartoffelsalat.
@ Liv Your Welcome :)
@ My Kitchen in the Rockies- Ich stimme zu
I'd love to see a post from someone who tackled making their own sauerkraut. Love it. I like those perfect slices in the meat. Never thought to do that. It looks pretty and I bet makes cooking more even. I've got juniper berries in the pantry from a recipe a few months ago. Wondered what I was ever going to do with them.
Hi Lea Ann,
From what I've seen and read making sauerkraut isn't so difficult, but I can buy such great fresh ready made sauerkraut that I've never bother. Funny I was just wondering what else I can use my juniper berries in :) We shall see….
My children are HUGE bratwurst fans!