Alsace's culinary identity is distinct from the rest of France — the influence of German and Rhénane tradition is unmistakable. Choucroute garnie (the garnished sauerkraut) is the preparation that most completely expresses this dual identity: the sauerkraut is German in tradition; the Riesling is Alsatian; the combination and its careful timing are classical French.
Sauerkraut (fermented white cabbage) braised in Riesling wine with smoked pork knuckle, bacon, Strasbourg sausage, and blood sausage — the definitive preparation of Alsace, the region that sits on the Rhine border between France and Germany and whose cuisine reflects both. Choucroute garnie is a preparation of accumulation: each pork product added to the braising liquid at the correct moment so that all arrive at service simultaneously at their correct texture.
**Ingredient precision:** - Sauerkraut: raw, good quality — not the heavily vinegared, commercial version. The sauerkraut should smell of lactic acid (clean, slightly sharp) not vinegar. Rinse briefly under cold water to moderate the saltiness; do not over-rinse or the fermentation character disappears. - Riesling: Alsatian, dry — the wine's apple-and-floral aromatic compounds are integral to the finished dish's character. - Juniper berries: essential. Their pine-resin terpenoids bridge the gap between the pork's fat and the sauerkraut's acid. - Smoked pork knuckle: added at the beginning — 3 hours' braising time. - Smoked bacon: added at 2 hours — 1 hour in the braise. - Bratwurst or Strasbourg sausage: added at 45 minutes before service. - Blood sausage (boudin noir): added 10 minutes before service — it overcooks rapidly. 1. Rinse and squeeze the sauerkraut. Cook the lardons in goose fat or lard until golden. Remove. Soften onion in the same fat. 2. Layer sauerkraut, aromatics (juniper, bay, cloves, black pepper), lardons, and the smoked knuckle in a large casserole. 3. Add Riesling to just cover the sauerkraut. 4. Cover and braise at 150°C for 3 hours, checking liquid periodically. 5. Add bacon at 2 hours. Bratwurst at 2:15. Boudin noir at 2:50. 6. Serve everything on a large platter over the sauerkraut, with boiled new potatoes alongside and Dijon mustard. Decisive moment: The sausage timing cascade — particularly the blood sausage. Boudin noir disintegrates in any boiling or aggressive heat: 10 minutes in the casserole at barely simmering is the maximum. After this point it bursts and dissolves. Monitor the last 15 minutes carefully.
Jacques Pépin's Complete Techniques