Pork knuckle with Sauerkraut (Eisbein mit Sauerkraut)

Receta en Español

This is the most typical dish in Germany , You can find in it the basic ingredients in Germany dishes: meat, cabbage and potatos.

Ingredients:

• 1  big pork knuckle.
• 1 bay leaf.
• 4 peppercorns.
• 2 onions.
• Sauerkraut.
• 2 tablespoon oil.
• a pinch of sugar.
• 6 juniper berries.
• 125 ml white wine.
• 1 apple.
• a pinch of salt.
• a pinch of ground cumin.
• 3 or 4 potatos.

Method:

1.  Cut 1 onion into pieces. Pour a little olive oil in the pressure cooker , sautée onion.

2.  Wash the pork knuckle, salt and put inside the pressure cooker, sautée it.

3. Add bay leaf and pepper.

4. Pour water until the pork knuckle is covered.

5. Close the pressure cooker , put on a high heat.  Once the steam starts to come out,  put on a low heat and cook for 1 hour.

6. Now we prepare Sauerkraut in another casserole: cut 1 onion into pieces ,sautée.

7. Add Sauerkraut, wine, bay leaf, juniper berries and the apple cut into pieces. Heat at medium heat for 30 or 40 minutes.

8. Add sugar, pepper, cumin and salt. Cook for 3 more minutes. And Sauerkraut is ready.

9.  Wash potatos and cut them into 4 pieces, cook them with salt and water. You can use the pressure cooker , it takes 10 minutes once the steam starts to come out and you put in on a low heat.

10. Once potatos are cooked, peel and crush them with the help of a fork, add salt, olive oil and parsley.

11. Serve the pork knuckle accompanied by Sauerkraut and potatos.

My comments to the recipe:

Sauerkraut mixed with apple, wine is very tasty. Juniper berries go well with Sauerkraut. Pork knuckle is also wonderful accompanied by the Sauerkraut.

Where to find the ingredients:

Juniper berries can be bought in Madrid at 'Mantequería alemana' calle Padilla 88, metro Diego de León.

Sauerkraut can be bought , but also can be done as I present you in my previous article: Sauerkraut.

Germany

SauerKraut , choucroute (fermented cabbage)

                                                                               Receta en Español

Sauerkraut is also known als choucroute or choucrut in France, it is popular in Europe but it is a very old dish, fermented cabbage was already used during the construction of The Greart Wall.

It is very popular in Germany, there are some special recipients to ferment cabbage called Harsch crock. It is also possible to ferment cabbage in canned jars, you can use a jar 2 liters capacity.

During the fermentation the number of lactic bacteries, who are present on the surface of the cabbage, are considerably increased. 
Lactic bacterias are anaerobic microrganisms, they produce lactic acid from the carbohydrates of the plant.
Lactic acid and other substances obtained by fermentation provide preservative capacity given its antimicrobial activity.
Lactobacillum and Bifidubacterium are examples of these bacterias. Fermented cabbage is considered a probiotic.
The moment you put cabbage to ferment you can add different spices, the recipe I am going to show you is the simplest one, without spices. This way you can add the spices the moment you are going to cook it.

You can eat this fermented cabbage cooked or not to make salads or accompany meat.

Ingredients:

• 1 sterilized canned jar 2 liters capacity.
• 1 cabbage.
• 2 tablespoon salt.

Method:

1.       Take two whole leafs of the cabbage,  set aside to use them later.

2.       Cut the cabbage in half, get rid of the stem.

3.     Shred the cabbage into thin stripes.

 

4.       Put the shreded cabbage in a non metalic bowl.

         

5.      Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage and mix well, let stand for one hour so the cabbage starts to release its natural juice.

6. After 1 hour the volume of the cabbage has reduced.

 7. Crush cabbage for 15 minutes to make the cabbage release more juice.

8. Sterilize the jar: boil water and place the jar in it.

9. Now put the cabbage into the jar, keep on crushing the cabbage. Put the 2 whole cabbage leafs on top to cover the rest of the cabbage , the natural juice of the cabbage should be over the cabbage:

10. To keep the cabbage well crushed you can put a glass on top of it, as you see in the picture:

11. If the natural juice of the cabbage doesnt reach the top of the jar , fill it with water, cover the jar, keep for 3 or 4 days in a dark and cool place.

12. After 3 or 4 days put the jar into the fridge, after 3 weeks the cabbage is already fermented. You can keep it in the fridge for 6 months. This is how cabbage should look like:

Germany