Sauerkraut Soup – Kapusniak Recipe

Sauerkraut Soup – Kapusniak Notes

My family originated in Poland and settled in Milwaukee, and this is a family recipe for a hearty Polish soup. Although I now live in Nashville Tennessee, I make this soup on a cold winter day when I am craving Polish "comfort food" and it makes me think of home.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Sauerkraut, juice reserved
• 1/2 small head Cabbage, finely shredded (about 3 cups)
• 3 Tablespoons Fat (Butter or Bacon Fat or Olive Oil)
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 2 ribs (stalks) Celery, chopped
• 4 Carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 large Potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
• 2 heaping Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 pounds Pork Ribs
• 1 pound Kielbasa, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 quarts Beef Stock
• 1 heaping teaspoon Sweet Paprika
• 1 Turkish Bay Leaf
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Dill, finely chopped
• Sour Cream for garnish

Serves / Yields

8 servings

Preparation Instructions

1. Brown pork ribs and kielbasa in the fat in a large stock pot, remove from pot.
2. Brown onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic in the pot.
3. Return meat to the pot, Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the sauerkraut juice, flour, parsley, dill, and sour cream. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the pork is tender, about 2 hours.
5. Remove ribs from the soup, cut into small pieces discarding bones and gristle. Return the pork to the soup.
6. Stir a little of the sauerkraut juice into the flour until thoroughly mixed and liquefied (about ¼ - 1/3 cup of the juice). Stir flour mixture into the soup and heat until the soup is thickened.
7. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of the parsley and dill.

Helpful Hints

This makes a lot of soup, but don't worry because it is even better reheated. All you need is some fresh bread to go with it and you have a hearty meal.

Credit

This recipe was provided by Susan Goodwin from Nashville.

Cuisines, Courses and Ingredients

• Eastern European, Main Dish, Pork, Soup, Vegetable

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