I don’t know about you, but I am so happy that it is now autumn and summer is over. I love being in my yard and gardens, and I love relaxing on my patio with an adult beverage but summer is a lot of outside work for me. And it’s getting to be more difficult to accomplish it all! Plus, I am so over the awful heat!!
And I am not in my kitchen cooking very much either. I’m soooo looking forward to some hearty soups, roast chicken dinners and lots of pasta!! And let’s not forget baking bread and cookies, YUM!
I’ve been trying to cook at least one to two meals a week, even if it’s something very simple. And I had a craving for this dish. And this dish is great to serve anytime but I think it is especially wonderful for cooler weather days.
This recipe is a nod to my Pennsylvania Dutch and German background. Although I have absolutely no memory whatsoever of any family member making this dish!
Seriously though, I fashioned this after a meal I had at a German restaurant I ate at years ago.
My family background is PA Dutch and German and we did have plenty of sauerkraut meals, but as a kid I did not care for it at all!! But I cook mine a little different, I like to spice my kraut with red pepper flakes and/or cayenne pepper. I have also added a can of beer, you should give that a try!
I haven’t made this dish in a very long time and sort of forgot how much I loved it. It serves 4 and reheats well for leftovers.
I tend to only use spicy Italian sausage for this; I know I know! It’s a nod to German food, but it works for me. All kidding aside, feel free to use whatever sausage you like.
You will need a very large fry pan for this, use some olive oil in the pan and get those sausage links cooking. When they are browned nicely on the outside remove from the pan and slice into rounds. They will not be cooked through, they will finish cooking in a bit!
Add the quartered red skinned potatoes with salt and pepper to the fry pan. Sauté the potatoes just until they start to turn golden, add the sausage back to the pan with the potatoes and add once cup of chicken broth.
Simmer over a medium low heat, as the broth reduces, add another cup if the potatoes are not tender. When the potatoes are tender add the sauerkraut and the red pepper flakes and a dash or so of cayenne pepper. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, adding more broth if needed so that it does not cook dry.
Sausage and Kraut
4-5 sausage links, use your favorite
8-10 red skinned potatoes, quartered or large chunks with skins on,
10 oz jar of sauerkraut
1 carton of chicken broth
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
- In a large fry pan drizzle olive oil to saute the sausage links. When they are browned, remove from pan and add potatoes with salt and pepper.
- While potatoes are cooking, slice the sausage into ½ inch rounds.
- When potatoes are golden, add the sausage back to the pan and add about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of chicken broth.
- Simmer over a medium heat, adding more broth (1 cup at a time) until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the kraut and cayenne pepper, simmer until cooked through and serve.
Kartwheels in the Kitchen 