Wine braised Bavarian style sauerkraut with apple, easily made in the slow cooker.
Bavarian Sauerkraut
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
For today, I am sharing a favorite version of “wine kraut” which is traditionally German, and is something I like to serve alongside other things when I am not cooking them together, as I would a pot of sauerkraut and pork or sausages. Some examples might be if I have grilled some bratwursts and wanted this on top, or made schnitzel, or German roasted chicken.
They say you can always tell a German, but not very much!
And oh do I find that to be true, being of some German heritage myself, and so is my husband (you can tell by my name, which is definitely German and not Chinese as you might think).
And besides that, you can always tell if someone doesn’t love their sauerkraut, as they might just dump it from the can and heat it right in the brine.
I think I might cry if I see it…
And Mom, bless her heart, did that, and I hated kraut as a child. But since my husband loved kraut, I knew I had to do something about its inherent ickiness when not properly prepared. I worked on it for some time, but I don’t think I really mastered it until I took some tips from Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet, to heart.
And after that, everything was smooth sailing. And I became a sauerkraut queen.
So I hope you love this as much as I do- the wine makes it a bit different from other kraut. And of course, the apple is a very mellowing influence. And if you happen to enjoy my kraut cooking activities, and want more, I have listed a few at the bottom of the page.
Keep an open mind about the sauerkraut nut bread and also the pie. It has a mellow flavor kind of like coconut, also in texture. Not disgusting at all.
Also make sure to look over the apple recipes from the other bloggers who have worked very hard to make apple week a success. Lots of goodies in there, as well as a different collection posted each and every day.
~s
Bavarian Sauerkraut

Ingredients:
- 16 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium apple, grated
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 2 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Method:
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until tender.
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com

Apple Recipe Roundup:
- Apple & Chipotle Candied Bacon Deviled Eggs by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck
- Apple and Plum Crumble by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
- Apple Pecan Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette by Everyday Eileen
- Apple Sausage Skewers by The Cookaholic Wife
- Apple Pie Granola by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Apple Pie Jam by Tip Garden
- Easiest Apple Strudel Recipe by The Anthony Kitchen
- Baked Apple Pancake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Banana Apple Curry Soup by The Saucy Fig
- Bulgogi-Inspired Oven Beef Jerky by Culinary Adventures With Camilla
- Caramel Apple Salad by Daily Dish Recipes
- Caramelized Apple Wheatberry Porridge with Pepitas and Cranberries by The Baking Fairy
- Chai Spiced Apple Waffles by Jonesin’ For Taste
- Cider Glazed Roast Chicken by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Creamy Apple Cider Chicken Skillet by House of Nash Eats
- Chicken Sausage Stuffed Baked Apples by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Cinnamon Sponge Charlotte Cake With Caramel Apples by Cooking With Carlee
- Creamy Beet & Apple Salad by Savory Moments
- Copy Cat Dairy Queen Apple Pie Blizzard by An Affair from the Heart
- French Apple Cake by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Glazed Chocolate Chip Apple Cake by Who Needs A Cape?
- Grandma’s Apple Butter by The Freshman Cook
- Granny Smith Pizza by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Instant Pot Apple Butter by Soulfully Made
- Pan Apple Mini Cakes by Seduction in the Kitchen
- Pork Tacos with Sweet Apple Slaw by The Redhead Baker
- Quick Applesauce for One by Shockingly Delicious
- Turkey Breast Roulade with Apple, Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing by Books n’ Cooks
I love a good sauerkraut – it must be the German in me too 🙂
I’ve never tried wine in my sauerkraut but I’m gonna.
My husband is kraut adverse despite the last name of Scharnhorst. Maybe I just need to keep trying recipes until he likes one or gives in 😉 This looks like a good place to start!
This looks fantastic! I have been looking for new ways to use my sauerkraut. Thank you for sharing!