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OxfordPress.com

Hard Cider Kraut With Ribs And Knockwurst

Makes four servings
2-pound bag of sauerkraut
4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 large carrot, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
10 juniper berries (or 1 tablespoon gin)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 12-ounce bottle hard cider*
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 slab ribs, cut into three rib portions
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, each cut into six pieces (optional)
4 knockwurst

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the bacon into half-inch pieces. In a heavy dutch oven or enameled casserole, saute the bacon until cooked but not crisp. Spoon out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the remaining drippings, cook the onion and carrot over low heat until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the juniper berries and thyme, and tuck the bay leaves into the kraut. Pour the hard cider and broth over the kraut. Bring to a boil, cover and place in the oven, and cook for 1 hour.

Brown the rib sections in a skillet. Place on top of the kraut. Add a little more broth to the skillet and pour that over the kraut. Cover again and cook for another 1 1/2 hours. After an hour, tuck the potatoes into the kraut to cook for the remaining 30 minutes.

* Hard cider is available by the six-pack at Arrow Wine stores.

Shortly before serving, brown the knockwurst under a broiler. They can be served whole or cut into rounds and stirred into the kraut.

Serve with apple slices cooked in butter and offer hard cider for the adults, sweet cider for children.