Very Tasty Sauerkraut: Saute 3 slices of thick smoky high quality bacon, large dice, and render some of the fat. Then add one large yellow onion sliced, and 3 T. of sugar. Cook until caramelized. Add 1 t. caraway seeds for 1 minute, then 1 T. apple cider vinegar to deglaze. Now add 2 lbs. of well-drained barrel cured sauerkraut and heat through. Taste and adjust salt. Next bring heat to high and add one bottle of your favorite beer minus a few good sips. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
Serve with knockwurst steamed in beer. Cut a few slits in the knockwurst before steaming so the beer permeates the sausage. Also delicious when served on a grilled buttered bun piled high with the sauerkraut.
My somewhat original recipe is a derivation of classic recipes; massaging the ingredients to my own one-quarter German palate, to balance pork fat, onion, sweet, sour, salt, herb, and beer flavors.
It just occured to me that some may be interested in China patterns. This is Spode "Woodland" made in England.
