Crock-pot Ring Bologna with Sauerkraut, Plus How to make Sauerkraut

On the Menu Today~
Crock-pot Ring Bologna
with Sauerkraut.

Bonus Recipe: 
Tips for Making Sauerkraut and
How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut

This recipe comes
from my childhood,
where ring bologna was
on the menu often and
sauerkraut was on the menu
at least once a week.

Every fall, when cabbage was in abundance,
my dad would clean the huge crocks we kept in the basement and
that would signal "sauerkraut making time" was about to begin.

Making sauerkraut is really very easy...
cabbage, salt, and a crock is all that is needed.
Let the sour begin...

Let's go to the recipe~

Crock pot Ring Bologna with Sauerkraut

Ingredients

• 2 large cans sauerkraut, (Franks or Homemade)
• 2- 16 ounce ring bologna
• 1 tablespoon garlic seasoning blend
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 apple, diced

Cooking Directions

1. Spoon sauerkraut into crock-pot.
2. Place ring bologna on top of sauerkraut.
3. Sprinkle top with garlic seasoning blend, brown sugar and vinegar. 
4. Add any or all additional ingredients.
5. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

*Note: Substitute kielbasa, bratwurst, smoked sausage, andouille, Italian, chorizo or any sausage of your choice in place of  the ring bologna.

6 Tips for Making Sauerkraut:

1. Sauerkraut is made entirely in a crock.
You don't need to go out and scrounge thrift stores and
antique shops looking for those huge and
very expensive stoneware crocks,
unless of course you want to....

2. "Crocks" can be any unchipped, enamel or large glass jar.
Gallon-size, wide-mouth jars used for pickles work great.
You can buy these jars at stores such as Costco or Sam's Club.
(We use large glass jars)

3. Keep hands and any metal object out of the crock.
Use wooden spoons/utensils, only, when making sauerkraut.

4. Use only the best and freshest cabbage possible.
Young, fresh, tender cabbage should be used.
This will yield the best sauerkraut.

5. Use good, quality water.
Buy bottled or water in gallon size jugs.

6. Use pickling or kosher salt.

Here in Wisconsin, there is a Farmer's Market located in
Black Creek called: Wagner's Market.

Wagner's Market is known for their "kraut" cabbage,
which is grown specifically to make sauerkraut.
People come from miles around to purchase Wagner's kraut cabbage.

Wagner's Market is a 20 year plus Landmark in Black Creek, WI - Serving the area for decades. Many customers come from out of state to purchase vegetables grown on the family farm. The family farm has been producing kraut cabbage since 1969! 

Stop in for our super sweet bi-color sweet corn, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, canning pickles, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, pumpkins, and much more! We also sell our own sauerkraut and offer jams, jelly, honey, maple syrup, candy, salsas, dressings, pickled foods and snacks.

To learn more go to:Wagner's Farm Market

Uses for Sauerkraut:
Sauerkraut can be piled on;
sandwiches, bratwurst, hot dogs or
made in the crock pot with spare ribs or ring bologna.
You'll have no trouble finding uses for your homemade sauerkraut.

Homemade Sauerkraut

Ingredients

• 5 pounds cabbage, cored and shredded
• 3 tablespoons pickling or kosher salt
• 1 gallon container

Cooking Directions

1. Alternate layers of cabbage with a sprinkling of salt, tapping or pushing down each layer with a wooden spoon or wooden potato masher. The top layer should be salt. This will not seem like enough salt, but it will give a 2 1/2 percent solution, the perfect solution for fermentation.
2. Boil an old dish towel in water for 5 minutes and cover the crock with it. Weight this down with a flat plate the size of the inside of the crock, weight this down with a canning jar full of water. If your using a glass as your crock, you won't need to weight it down.
3. Let it sit for a day. If you used fresh and tender cabbage, by the next day you should have enough brine to cover the cabbage. If you don't, make more brine by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to a cup of water and add enough to cover the cabbage.
4. In 2 or 3 days, white scum will form on the top. Skim this off, replace the cloth with a newly boiled one, wash the plate, and replace it all. Repeat this skimming (a 5-minute job) each day until the bubbles stop rising, or for about 2 weeks. Then your sauerkraut is done.
5. At this point, simply keep the cabbage below the brine with the plate, cover the crock tightly and store at 40º F to 50º F. If your basement or cellar isn't that cool, heat the sauerkraut just to simmering, pack in canning jars, seal and process in a water bath for 20 minutes for quarts, 15 minutes for pints.

Sauerkraut, Bologna, Beef 

•  Directions for Homemade Sauerkraut adapted from: Old Farmer's Almanac