Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Sauer Kraut, To Dress (another mode). — Take two pounds of kraut, throw it into boiling water, and let it remain for ten minutes. Cool it, and draw the water from it. Dissolve a pint of clarified fat in a large stewpan, put in the kraut, pour a quart of stock over it, cover the saucepan closely, and simmer the kraut gently over a slow fire till it is soft and yellow. When it has simmered five or six hours, put with it a bunch of savoury herbs, an onion stuck with two cloves, a pinch of pepper, one pound of pork sausages, half a pound of bacon, and half a pound of German sausage. Boil all gently together, and take out the meat when it is done enough. The sausages will be done first, and the bacon last. Drain the sauer kraut, and pile it on a hot dish. Lay the sausages upon it, then cut the rest of the meat into neat pieces, and arrange them all round. )Serve very hot. Sauer Kraut, To Dress (another mode). — Take as much kraut as will be required out of the barrel, and wash it lightly first in warm and then in cold water. Dissolve a slice of fresh butter in a saucepan, put in half of the kraut, lay upon this the meat which it is to accompany— ham, beef, pork sausages, &c., are those usually served with it — lay the remainder of the kraut on the meat, and pour over it a little stock and a glass of wine if liked. Add stock or water occasionally, as it is required, to moisten the preparation, and stir it every now and then to keep it from burning. Cover closely, and simmer gently over a slow fire until the meat is done enough, and the kraut is soft. Serve the meat on a hot dish with the sauer kraut round it. It can scarcely be boiled too long, and can be warmed up again with fresh meat a second time. Time to boil, not less than three hours at the first boiling. Sufficient, two pounds for four or five persons. Sauer Kraut, To Pickle —The following interesting particulars as to the German practice in regard to the preparation of sauer kraut are drawn from the " German National Cookery." The finest and hardest white cabbages must be chosen, and the colour will be improved if they are allowed to lie heaped together in a cool corner for several days before being used. The cutting is usually done with an instrument called a kohlhobel (cabbageplane). Instead of this a large knife will do. Throw away the outer leaves of the cabbages, and halve and quarter them. Cut out the stalks and larger ribs of the leaves. Begin at the top of the head to cut them across in very narrow strips. Have ready a well-seasoned oak-barrel, or pickling-tub, or an earthen bread-pan would do. Cover the bottom of the vessel with clean cabbage-leaves, throw in the cabbage as it is cut, sprinkle it with salt, equally dispersed as it is thrown in. Many scatter in a few juniper-berries or caraway-seeds. As the shred cabbage is put into the tub it should be stamped down hard with a club. When all is packed close, strew a little salt over the top, cover it with a few cabbageleaves, and then with a clean linen cloth. Put on it a wooden lid that will fit inside the vessel, | and lay on this a heavy stone. Do not put the 1