What to do with leftover sauerkraut?

I opened a bag of sauerkraut 2 days ago for some sausages and I have about 1 cup of it still left. Any ideas of what to do with it?

How about making a couple of Reuben sandwiches?

How about making a couple of Reuben sandwiches?

I second that. But of course, you could just get a fork and go to town . . . .

Into the trash, where the first portion should have gone, too. (Note: Author can't stand cabbage-based foods.)

apparently you didn't make enough sausages or you wouldn't have this problem.

Into the trash, where the first portion should have gone, too. (Note: Author can't stand cabbage-based foods.)

BLASPHEMER!!!!! I forbid you to eat any German foods ever again!

Make Lazy Pierogis.

[Jenise]

Mix with leftover stale rye bread (or regular bread with caraway seeds) to make a bread pudding to pair with yet more sausages. Or saute with blanched green beans in a pan containing some already sweated onions and bacon, then mix with boiled diced potatoes for a hot and delicious veggie side dish for grilled smoked pork chops.

It can be frozen too, Maria.

Just take a couple of squab you have lying around and caramelize them. Then place them in a casserole with the sauerkraut along with some diced onions you have previously sweated and grated potato. Pour in enough Cremant champagne to come halfway up the squab. Bake until done.

Just take a couple of squab you have lying around and caramelize them. Then place them in a casserole with the sauerkraut along with some diced onions you have previously sweated and grated potato. Pour in enough Cremant champagne to come halfway up the squab. Bake until done.

Upscale choucroute garni?

Mark Lipton

Into the trash, where the first portion should have gone, too. (Note: Author can't stand cabbage-based foods.)

Yup, feed the drain.
'Winger

Maria, I don't really have any suggestions for you beyond the preceding great ideas (that involve your oven and stove but not your garbage disposal), but I wanted to let you know that I love that you wanted to "reconfigure" a cup of saurkraut in our "throw-away" world. I was raised by parents who were children of the depression era and they really instilled in me a loathing for wastefulness. Often I have tiny Saran-wrapped "packages" in our fridge--two forkfuls of salmon, leftover shredded cheese, half an apple, etc.
Kudos to you!

Chicken Breasts Reuben

2 chicken breasts, boned, and halved
2 tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup bottled thousand Island dressing (I use much less)
16 ozs. sauerkraut, drained
4 slices natural Swiss Cheese
tbsp. minced parsley

Pat chicken breasts dry. Sauté in butter until browned. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tbsp. dressing over each breast. Squeeze juice from sauerkraut, and put on top of chicken breasts. Spoon a little more dressing on top. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until breasts are tender. Remove from oven, top with cheese and spoon remaining dressing over cheese. Return to oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Yum!

Dave, Howie, Jenise, Karen, and Chef (hey, I can easily sub chicken for squab and cava for champagne, right?) for your ideas...I will try all of them!!

Cynthia...awesome, thank you so much for the suggestion...I have already made a few baggies of sauerkraut, and froze them for when I just want one hot dog or sausage. Didn't know that you could freeze it.

Maria, I don't really have any suggestions for you beyond the preceding great ideas (that involve your oven and stove but not your garbage disposal), but I wanted to let you know that I love that you wanted to "reconfigure" a cup of saurkraut in our "throw-away" world. I was raised by parents who were children of the depression era and they really instilled in me a loathing for wastefulness. Often I have tiny Saran-wrapped "packages" in our fridge--two forkfuls of salmon, leftover shredded cheese, half an apple, etc.
Kudos to you!

Awww...thanks Carrie!! That is too sweet. I swear, I think that my previous life was during the Depression because I just CANNOT throw any food away (and I rip napkins in half and re-use plastic cups too...uggghhh!!). Anyway, I would as Ryan said, "just get a fork and go to town" before I would throw the sauerkraut away!

Hey Maria, You are not the only one who conserves on product. Those Zip Lock bags.....the ones that are used for lettuce, veggies, etc. get reused, over and over. We wash them in hot, soapy water and then put them on a rack, that Gene made. to drain. When dry, I put them into a drawer and reuse. I hate giving my money to some CEO of a major company who gets millions for what he does. The same goes for Food Saver bags, wash and reuse
People throw away too much, and I hate it when they open a can of something, like jalapeños in Adobo, use one and throw the remaining product away, because they are certain the rest won't be used.
I've noticed that the organic section of Raley's store, is using a yellow plastic bag that is biodegradable. So are some growers at the Farmer's Market.

Just take a couple of squab you have lying around and caramelize them. Then place them in a casserole with the sauerkraut along with some diced onions you have previously sweated and grated potato. Pour in enough Cremant champagne to come halfway up the squab. Bake until done.

Upscale choucroute garni?

Mark Lipton

Yeah, it's kinda Alsatian. I came up with it many years ago when Jamie Davies of Schramsberg was having a little get together at one of my restaurants. Did it with their Cremant. I never put it in one of my books - although folks did like it.

And, truth be told, it's just a tad more complicated than what I posted here.

Put them in a bun, drop package in Safeways parking lot and enjoy the seagulls interest!

Heat up the grill, warm the kraut in a pan with pinch of caraway and get some german white sausage (weisswurst) a-going. Combine on grilled sour rye with Boetje's sweet german mustard. That, a hard-boiled egg and beer radishes . Oh, and a cool glass of Bear Republic XP ale (heresy, I know) ! A lager works in a pinch.

What do you mean when you say you 'opened a bag' of sauerkraut? Was it a premade item? If so, that makes me wonder about quality and if it is worth saving.

But assuming that it is someting worth doing something with, I think that the Reuben idea is the quick and easy answer. We buy kraut from a guy that makes it locally, and it is to prepackaged kraut what fresh pasta is to dessicated styrofoam pellets. We often toss some into a Reuben or a ham and Emmenthal panini.

The real problem as I see it is that you only have a little - it always cries out for Choucroute Garni to me....

... it is to prepackaged kraut what fresh pasta is to dessicated styrofoam pellets. ...

Bill,

My family came from the Dakotas and I grew up pretty fussy about kraut. I've had some good store-bought stuff even in the last year, from Gelson's and a German grocer (Rhineland Deli and Market) right here in town. It is not necessarily heroic stuff mind you, but it's more than acceptable and hardly the worthy of the quality slam you tossed against prepackaged types.

Some prepack product can be good, I rate as sauerkraut's version of the dried Pasta of the pasta world; I'll leave your guy's rep in this pasta analogy intact, alone on the highest tier.

What do you mean when you say you 'opened a bag' of sauerkraut? Was it a premade item? If so, that makes me wonder about quality and if it is worth saving.

Actually, around here, the higher quality, "fresh-style" (i.e., not canned) kraut comes in bags.

... it is to prepackaged kraut what fresh pasta is to dessicated styrofoam pellets. ...

Some prepack product can be good, I rate as sauerkraut's version of the dried Pasta of the pasta world; I'll leave your guy's rep in this pasta analogy intact, alone on the highest tier.

OK, sounds fair enough. I admit to never investigating any of the prepackaged kraut when I have the ready source of fresh, and am quite prepared to believe there are good ones. We can assume that Maria used some decent kraut.

Dried pasta can be very good - but fresh has always shown as being better. Not sure exactly what is lost by the drying.

Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
¾ cup sauerkraut drained and chopped
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter
3 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup water
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift all dry ingredients together. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla. Beat eggs in one at a time.
Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with water.
Add sauerkraut mix thoroughly.
Pour into greased pan or pans.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes until cake tests done.
Frost