Sausage….  in a healthy lifestyle website?  Seriously?  Yes, seriously!  One of my fundamental culinary beliefs is that all food, in moderation, prepared with love, care, and with quality ingredients is good for you.

I have all this great homemade sauerkraut from a recent recipe I was writing, so I couldn’t help but think of serving it with some great German sausage, and lucky for me I have Karl’s Sausage Kitchen in Peabody just 10 minutes away.  I spoke with one of the owners, Robert Gokey, about his shop. They are committed to making old school, hand filled sausages and their ingredients come from long time, trusted suppliers. They do great work!

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Ingredients

  • 6 coarse bratwurst
  • 3 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, diced
  • 1 large leek, green part and root cut off, sliced in half the long way, cut across in 1/4 inch slices, then washed well and dried.
  • 1 apple peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges then cut across into 1/8 inch slices
  • 2 cups sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup Riesling or other sweet wine
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground black and white peppers to taste

Method

  • In heavy bottom skillet, sear sausage on both sides until nicely browned, but not cooked through, set aside
  • Cook pancetta until crispy, put on paper towel with slotted spoon to drain
  • Keep small amount of fat in pan and sauté leeks 2 to 3 minutes
  • Add apples and sauté 2 to 3 minutes
  • Add Riesling, simmer 2 to 3 minutes
  • Add apple cider and bring to simmer
  • Add sausages and simmer gently for 4 minutes, turn and cook for another 4 minutes
  • Remove sausages and taste sauerkraut for seasoning.
  • Spoon 1/2 of sauerkraut on platter, place sausages on top, then put the rest of the sauerkraut on top of the sausage.  Sprinkle with crispy pancetta

Enjoy!

Jimmy Smith is the founder, co-owner, and VP of Love Catering, Inc. in Los Angeles, a full-service catering company to to the stars…and their hanger’s-on. For the past seven years, he has been a stay-at-home Dad and short-order cook for his partner and their seven year-old triplets here in Topsfield, MA. Yes, triplets…