Friday, January 30, 2009

Transylvanian Baked Sauerkraut


3 tbs bacon fat
1 onion chopped
1clove garlic
1 lb ground pork
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1tsp paprika
1 package of kielbasa cut into small slices
¼ lb bacon chopped in to small pieces
1 c. sour cream
¼ c. rice
1 lb ground pork
2 bag sauerkraut


This is not an original recipe at all. It was one of my favorite things as a kid. It is also just one more reason to love winter cooking. I totally forgot to take a picture of it so the picture is curtsey a Google image search.

In a skillet began to cook bacon, pull off your 3 tbs and add to another skillet.
Add sausage to the skillet with the bacon and allow it to cook over medium until bacon begins to brown (about 5 minutes).

In the pan the bacon fat was added to, sauté onion until it starts to wilt. Add pork and allow it brown. Stir in garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Make the rice according to package instructions and set aside.

Heat oven to 325. Grease the bottom of 3 quart baking dish.

Rinse sauerkraut and pat dry. Place 1/3 of the sauerkraut in the bottom of dish.

Over that put the bacon and sausage mixture including all juices.

Spread another 1/3 of the sauerkraut on top. Dot with 2 tbs of sour cream. Sprinkle the rice over.

Add the pan with the pork mixture and all the juice and cover with the rest of the sauerkraut.

Pour 1 cup of water in the skillet that had the pork and swirl it around, and then pour it over everything.

Cover with the rest of the sour cream and put in the oven and let bake uncover for 1 hour and a half.

Let stand 20 minutes.

9 comments:

Joie de vivre said...

Where did the Transylvanian part of it come from? I've just finished reading Twilight, the story of the teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire, so I'm intrigued.

Sweet Cheeks said...

I don’t know really. That is just what it was called by whomever my parents got the recipe from. It is so funny you mention that book, everyone at my kids preschool is talking about it…now I have to go get it!

Anonymous said...

It sounds really intriguing. I'll have to make it to see what it tastes like :)

Cate said...

so this is one of your low-fat recipes, right? and THAT is why we love winter. i was just telling my husband how all week my fat tooth has been raging like crazy.

seriously, what's not to like about this recipe. yum.

Sweet Cheeks said...

It will, without a doubt, satisfy you fat tooth! You can make it a better (and actually not to bad) choice, by subbing ground turkey, and lowfat bacon (lowfat not turkey! lowfat is bacon, just leaner and has the same calories and fat as turkey bacon...okay I am done preaching) and greek yogurt or low fat sour cream... or you could just live it up and not worry about bathing suit season!!

Kate McHugh said...

Holy moly! I was stoked to see this -- my Gammy used to make something very similar - which in theory came from the norwegian side of the fam but I'm also curious if it wasn't actually instead from some old Good Housekeeping ;)

Kate McHugh said...

I'll have to get the recipe and send it... but ours was more like a shepherd's pie - and used mashed potatoes as the starch rather than the rice in your recipes. Also no kielbasa - all ground sausage... If i recall it was meat then sauerkraut then mashed potatoes - sprinkled w some paprika to 'add color' to the top :) I think you could do a more modern version and it would be phenom!

Anonymous said...

I just did a GOOGLE search of "Transylvanian Baked Sauerkraut".
My recipe came from a cookbook called "The Hungarian Cookbook" by Susan Derecskey. Copyright 1972. Ita amazing yours is identical to that recipe.

Sweet Cheeks said...

anonymous, I think if you read the post, the ver first thing I say, is "This is not an original recipe at all." This was a family favorite growing up. it was a recipe that my mom got from someone who got it from someone sort of thing. So nice to know where the recipe comes from! Thanks for the help.