This Bavarian Sauerkraut recipe comes directly from the German Bavarian village of Oberammergau. Bavarian spices, plus the addition of applesauce bring sweet to the sour taste of traditional sauerkraut. It is served warm with German Sausage and pairs well with warm German potato salad.
Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage and German Potato Salad
We wanted to visit the village of Oberammergau while touring the Bavarian Alps of Germany. It is such a small village and parking is at a premium. But we happened across the perfect parking spot and noticed a small little sausage shop right next to us. My husband had been looking for some good German sausage! For lunch, we grabbed some sausage and Bavarian sauerkraut at this very shop when our parking time was expired. We drove to a park in the village to eat.
What is Bavarian sauerkraut anyway?? When we opened our to-go box and it was filled with a lot of sauerkraut and a little sausage. Strange. Why so much sauerkraut? Plus, I wasn’t sure I even liked sauerkraut. But then I tasted Bavarian sauerkraut. Wow! It was warm and sweet, with a touch of that sour taste sauerkraut is known for. It was the most amazing sauerkraut we had ever tasted. We ate the sausage and the entire serving of Bavarian sauerkraut!
Promptly, we drove back to the sausage shop, even though we had to find a new parking spot. The shop was filled with bottles Bavarian sauerkraut we could take home. It was all freshly made, but we weren’t returning home for another week. So I bravely asked the shop keeper if it was possible to make this delicious sauerkraut at home? In her broken English, she told me all the ingredients for making Bavarian sauerkraut. When I didn’t know how to spell the words she was telling me, she wrote it down for me and even gave me little bags of spices so I could make Bavarian sauerkraut at home!
Now you can make Bavarian Sauerkraut in your kitchen too!
Believe me when I tell you it is so delicious!
Ingredients for Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage and German Potato Salad
Bavarian Sauerkraut with German Sausage:
Juniper berries (wacholder beeren): These are tiny little dried berries and can be purchased on Amazon. It’s an important ingredient for the true Bavarian sauerkraut flavor you are looking for. I recommend putting these in a cheesecloth or mesh food-grade bag before adding them to the sauerkraut ingredients. A quarter cup is a lot of berries and picking them out of the finished sauerkraut is very time-consuming! I learned this the hard way—twice!!
Bay leaves (wacholder blätter): You need 12 bay leaves and you can purchase these at any grocery store. Add these to the cheesecloth bag, or just add them directly. Remove them when the Bavarian sauerkraut is ready to serve.
Sauerkraut: Buy any pre-made sauerkraut at the store.
Unsweetened applesauce (apfelmus): Buy pre-made applesauce at the store. Make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored. The amount of applesauce is determined by how much sauerkraut you use. The applesauce is two-thirds to three-quarters the amount compared to the sauerkraut.
Granulated sugar (zucker): Just regular granulated sugar. If you use less than 32 ounces of sauerkraut, use less sugar.
Salt (salz) and Pepper (pfeffer): Add this ingredient to taste.
German sausage: Purchase any quality sausage. I find that Costco has several good choices and I especially like the sausages with cheese inside!
German Potato Salad:
Petite Yukon Gold potatoes: I like how fast these are to prepare and cook. You can use regular sized as well, if you desire.
Bacon: I like thick cut bacon for this salad. I slice the bacon crosswise before cooking, then I don’t have to crumble it afterward.
Red onion: The red onion gives an authentic flavor.
All-purpose flour: This is the thickening agent for the salad sauce. You make a roux with a little of the bacon grease, onions, the spices, and vinegar.
Brown sugar: Using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar gives a little more robust flavor in the sauce.
Dijon mustard: You could also use a brown or stone-ground mustard as well. Just don’t use yellow mustard—as that is very American!
Spices: garlic, salt, and black pepper
Apple cider vinegar: This flavor of vinegar makes an authentic sauce for German potato salad. Add vegetable or chicken broth and water for the correct amount of liquid in the sauce.
Fresh herbs: green onion, fresh parsley, fresh chives. You could also use freeze-dried parsley and fresh-dried chives.
How to Make Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage and German Potato Salad:
Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage:
- Add seasoning bag (with juniper berries and bay leaves) and all other ingredients to a medium-large pot with a lid. Bring to a boil and simmer with lid on for at least 30 minutes, over an hour is better. Remove seasoning bag before serving.
German Potato Salad
- Add washed potatoes to instant pot. Add ½ cup water. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Quick release. Slice cooked potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- In large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to paper towel to drain and cool. Dispose of all but 1 Tablespoon bacon grease.
- Add diced red onion to bacon grease and skillet. Cook until onion is tender. Add flour, sugar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper to onion and stir until onions are completely coated, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, broth, and water. Whisk continually over medium heat until combined, thickened, and not lumpy. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Add potatoes, bacon, green onion, parsley, chives. Stir to coat potatoes completely. Serve with Bavarian Sauerkraut and German Sausage.
Enjoy this amazing German faire!
–Kim
Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage and German Potato Salad
Ingredients
Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage:
- ¼ cup juniper berries (wacholder beeren)
- 12 bay leaves (wacholder blätter)
- 1 jar (32 oz) sauerkraut
- 24 oz unsweetened applesauce (apfelmus)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (zucker)
- salt and pepper (salz and pfeffer), to taste
- German sausage
German Potato Salad:
- 1 ½ pounds petite Yukon Gold potatoes
- ½ cup water
- ½ pound thick cut bacon sliced crosswise before cooking
- ½ red onion diced thin
German Potato Salad Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup broth
- ¼ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons green onion
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chives
Instructions
Bavarian Sauerkraut with Sausage:
- Put juniper berries and bay leaves in cheesecloth or mesh food-grade bag.
- Add seasoning bag and all other ingredients to a medium-large pot with a lid.
- Bring to a boil and simmer with lid on for at least 30 minutes, over an hour is better.
- Remove seasoning bag before serving.
- Prepare sausage with Instant Pot and ½ cup water for 4 minutes on high, or boil in water on stove until plump. Then fry sausage in fry pan until browned. Serve immediately.
German Potato Salad:
- Add washed potatoes to instant pot. Add ½ cup water. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Quick release. Slice cooked potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- In large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to paper towel to drain and cool. Dispose of all but 1 Tablespoon bacon grease.
- Add diced red onion to bacon grease and skillet. Cook until onion is tender.
- Add flour, sugar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper to onion and stir until onions are completely coated, about 2 minutes.
- Add vinegar, broth, and water. Whisk continually over medium heat until combined, thickened, and not lumpy. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Add potatoes, bacon, green onion, parsley, chives. Stir to coat potatoes completely. Serve with Bavarian sauerkraut and German sausage.
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