Vegetable dishes
slow-braised sauerkraut
living tradition
Sauerkraut, onions, carrots, mushrooms, smoked meat, sausages, Kūčios, winter table
Braised cabbage, Sauerkraut with mushrooms
A winter side dish
Braised sauerkraut is both a dish in its own right and a side for sausages, ham, potatoes, or meat.
Fermentation allows cabbage to be kept for winter, and braising softens the acidity. In the Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia's overview of Lithuanian foods, cabbage seasonality is clear: fresh cabbage is cooked in summer, while sauerkraut is used in winter. According to the Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia, Lithuania mostly grows white head cabbage, eaten fresh, boiled, braised, fermented, and marinated; braising is one of those directions.
So braised sauerkraut is not only a side for sausage. It continues a winter method of preserving vegetables, where a sour product is slowly turned into a milder, richer dish.
The taste of fermentation
When fermenting cabbage, salt, caraway, carrots, and sometimes sour apples or cranberries are traditionally used. In the braise, those additions may appear as gentle sweetness, caraway aroma, or fruity acidity.
If the cabbage is very sour, it is better to rinse only part of it, not the whole amount. Otherwise the dish loses its main character.
Meat or mushrooms
With smoked meat, cabbage becomes hearty and smoky. With dried mushrooms, it suits fasting and the Kūčios table.
Porcini bring an especially strong aroma, so only a small amount is needed.
Recipe
How are troškinti rauginti kopūstai made?
Braising softens the acidity of the cabbage. Smoked ribs or sausages work for a meat version, while dried mushrooms and oil make the Kūčios version.
Ingredients
- 800 g sauerkraut
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 30 g dried mushrooms or 200 g smoked meat/sausage
- 2 bay leaves
- Pepper
- Oil or lard
- A pinch of sugar, if needed
Method
- If the cabbage is very sour, rinse part of it. Soak the mushrooms if using.
- Fry the onion and carrot in fat.
- Add the cabbage, mushrooms or meat, bay leaves, and a little water.
- Braise over low heat until the cabbage softens.
- At the end, balance with pepper and, if needed, sugar.
Notes
For a Kūčios version, use mushrooms and oil, without meat.
