Silesian brown Christmas sausages with sauerkraut and potatoes

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 jars of sauerkraut (Thuringian butcher’s cabbage)
• 10 juniper berries
• 6 allspice berries
• 6 bay leaves
• 6 carnations
• 2 small onions
• 150 g bacon (diced)
• Oil for frying
• e.g. potato(s)
• 15 sausages (Silesian brown sausages)
• 500 g bacon in one piece
• 500 g smoked pork (preferably one end piece)
• 3 carrots
• 1 large piece(s) of celery
• 1 large onion(s)
• 10 juniper berries
• 10 allspice berries
• 6 carnations
• 5 bay leaves
• Salt
• Cornstarch for thickening

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 5 hours

Christmas dinner from the GDR

For the sauerkraut, fry the diced bacon in oil, add 2 small onions, and top with the sauerkraut and seasoning. Don’t use too much liquid; if it sizzles a bit, the flavor improves. If you like, prepare the sauerkraut and reheat it. For the sauce, peel the carrots, celery, and onion. Cut the carrots into thirds, roughly chop the celery, and cut the onion crosswise. Place everything in a large pot with the bacon, smoked pork, and seasoning and add enough water to cover. Cook for about 3 hours; the meat and ham should be tender. During this time, peel the potatoes and add them during the last third of the cooking time. When everything is cooked through, remove everything from the broth. Add the sausages and heat over medium heat until hot. Remove the sausages. Mix the cornstarch with water to thicken the sauce to the desired consistency. Serve the sliced ​​meat with the sausages and sauce with the sauerkraut and potatoes. Note: Silesian brown sausages are only available seasonally at a few butchers, and possibly also at market stalls.