Polish Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

Polish Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

Smoked sausage and sauerkraut is a classic, hearty Polish meal, and it isn't hard to make.  This recipe can be eaten right away after cooking, but it is best when refrigerated overnight and reheated in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of bacon
• 2 lbs sauerkraut
• 2 lbs smoked Polish sausage
• 2 granny smith apples
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple juice 

Prepare Sauerkraut and Bacon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a large baking dish. Dice the bacon in 1/2 inch pieces before you cook it. It is easier to cut when it is raw because you can leave the pieces together in a brick while cutting. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings to add to the dish for extra flavor. For a more intense bacon flavor, you can double the amount of drippings. Place these in the dish. Rinse the sauerkraut and drain, then add this to the dish.

Possible Flavors for Polish Smoked Sausage

Chop the sausage into 1-inch pieces. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and slice them into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the apples and the remaining ingredients to the dish. You can cook the dish now, or you can season to taste with any number or flavorings including butter, caraway seed, celery seed, bay leaves, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, onion, garlic, dry sherry, beef broth, or even beer.

Complete the Polish Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Stir the dish, and add more apple juice if the sauerkraut is too dry. Put it back in the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Allow the dish to cool. Place the dish in the refrigerator overnight. At least 1 hour before you are ready to serve, place the dish in a slow cooker set to low. The dish is ready to serve when the food is heated through.