On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 10:50:10 PM UTC-8, Tommy Joe wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > The key here is that you will not be cooking the sauerkraut very long. So no
> > bay leaves, no juniper berries, etc. that take long cooking to extract the
> > flavors. No salt -- there should be enough in the kraut. Maybe some coarse
> > ground pepper.
> >
> > Saute some mushrooms in butter and/or olive oil. The brown crimini have
> > a nice flavor. Some sauteed chopped garlic perhaps. If you had a apple
> > slicer throw in some apple slices. If you add caraway, I would simmer
> > it a bit to soften it. Perhaps use the juice from the kraut for the
> > simmering liquid.
>
> On Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 12:14:55 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> > On Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 7:26:39 PM UTC-8, Tommy Joe wrote:
> > > Every so often I buy bagged sauerkraut from the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. I can't remember the brand. I am no authority, but it's good enough for me.
> > >
> > > I am more a prepper than a cook. I eat the same thing for 5 or 6 days. If it's good I'll make it again and go another 6 days. Usually I just mix some of the kraut with cuts of thick boneless pork chops I've broiled. I put that on a plate with some mashed potatoes I've made along with brocoli or some other veggie. By the way, the mashed taters are great, very low calorie, about 3 pounds of peeled yukon gold taters mashed with only two or three tablespoons of butter or olive oil along with enough buttermilk to soften it up.
> > >
> > > I was wondering if there is a simple way to doctor up the kraut, maybe some carraway seeds, a spice or two, nothing fancy. It's good enough as as but I think the kraut/pork input could be better. Any ideas on how to doctor up the bagged kraut (I get it because it's fermented, if that means anything, and because other than salt it's just kraut.....? I don't want to be a dictator but will say that I'm looking for something simple, nothing requiring lots of prepping and cooking or buying of spices I might not use again for the next ten years. Thanks.
> > >
> > The key here is that you will not be cooking the sauerkraut very long. So no
> > bay leaves, no juniper berries, etc. that take long cooking to extract the
> > flavors. No salt -- there should be enough in the kraut. Maybe some coarse
> > ground pepper.
> >
> > Saute some mushrooms in butter and/or olive oil. The brown crimini have
> > a nice flavor. Some sauteed chopped garlic perhaps. If you had a apple
> > slicer throw in some apple slices. If you add caraway, I would simmer
> > it a bit to soften it. Perhaps use the juice from the kraut for the
> > simmering liquid.
>
>
> Sounds good, I will try it. You say, "You will not be cooking the kraut long", which seems to imply that cooking too long is bd. Does cooking too long destroy it somehow? I have caraway seeds here in my freezer that I have no real use for. I will use them for the kraut, maybe some garlic, softening them up as you said. Thanks to all on this. I will be making this tomorrow but will look at all suggestion for next time I make the stuff. Thanks again. Oh, one more thing - to soften he caraway, appox how long? Simmer?
>

Cooking a long time is not bad, it just makes the end product closer to
the canned product, as Brooklyn pointed out. So why pay extra for
refrigerated?

We slow cook jarred kraut with caraway for several hours. This leaves
the caraway soft. I couldn't tell you how long to simmer. Try 15 minutes.