Sausages and Sauerkraut

Ingredients

Franconian Sauerkraut:

• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons goose fat
• 2 1/5 pounds Sauerkraut, recipe follows
• 1 apple, diced
• 5 juniper berries
• 7 ounces smoked bacon
• 3 ounces white wine plus 2 ounces
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry the onion in the goose fat until it starts to brown. Add the sauerkraut, and heat it through for 5 minutes. Then add 1 cup of water, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes. Then add the apple, juniper berries, and the bacon. Stir well, add 3 fluid ounces white wine, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook for 35 minutes. After 30 minutes of cooking, add the remaining 2 fluid ounces of white wine.

Sauerkraut:

11 pounds white cabbage, shredded

5 tablespoons salt

Put the cabbage and salt alternately in a terracotta pot, and press down with a weight or heavy pan until juice covers the shredded cabbage. Cover the pot with a cloth, and weight it down with planks and stones. Place in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks before cooking it.

Franconian Sausages:

1 pound plus 5 ounces pork neck

14 ounces pork belly

Pinch ground mace

Pinch ground cardamom

Pinch dried marjoram

1 tablespoon salt

Pinch freshly ground pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Sausage casings

All ingredients and equipment need to be very cold when making sausage.

Cut the neck and belly of pork, and grind it into a large bowl. Add the mace, cardamom, marjoram, salt, and pepper, and mix it all together with your hands. Add the eggs, and mix again. Then add the milk, and mix again.

Place the casing over a funnel. Stuff the casing with the meat mixture, and then tie the casing to make your desired size of sausage links.

Once you have made all of the sausages, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly film the pan, and let oil heat. In batches, add the sausages to the hot oil, and fry until browned and fully cooked through. Serve with the steaming sauerkraut, and mustard, if desired.