Polish ribs with sauerkraut or żeberka w kapuście are the perfect meal for the cold, short days of winter — hearty and satisfying. Like a stew, this is one of those dishes that is even better the next day. I like to make it a day in advance when I have company coming over and don’t want to be doing any last-minute preparation, or I have a busy day coming up and need a quick evening meal.
I would consider ribs with sauerkraut a complete meal, but it’s even better with rustic bread or potatoes on the side. In Poland, I could buy artisan quality bread in my supermarket. At my home here in Arizona, that means a trip to a bakery or making it myself. If making it myself, I would do this sauerkraut bread or potato bread.
This recipe calls for dried mushrooms, a staple in Polish kitchens but not so much in the United States. Dried mushrooms add a concentrated flavor, making them worth picking up if you find some. However, you can substitute 4 – 8 ounces of sliced fresh mushrooms if necessary. Just cook them with the onions and bacon.
I always buy natural sauerkraut. I prefer the flavor of fresh over canned, so for me, the higher price is justified. If I plan ahead, I like to make my own. It’s easier than you think. The easy-to-follow recipe is in my cookbook. You can order a signed copy of this page on my website.
If you’re using canned sauerkraut and find the taste of vinegar to be too strong, rinse it in water before using. If you eat natural sauerkraut without cooking it, you get the benefit of probiotics. Even after cooking, not all is lost, the fermentation process makes the nutrients more easily absorbed by your body.
This recipe comes from one of my favorite (written in) Polish food blogs, Ania Gotuje or Ania Cooks. I think Pani Ania would approve if we paired ribs with sauerkraut with szarlotka (Polish apple pie) for dessert.
Smacznego!
Lois
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Polish Ribs with Sauerkraut
- Prep Time: 2 hours, including soaking time
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: entree
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Polish
Description
Polish Ribs with Sauerkraut are a hearty meal perfect for winter days.
Ingredients
- Small handful of dried mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons oil or lard
- 2 pounds country-style pork ribs (1 Kg)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound bacon (200 g), diced
- 2 cups chopped onion (300 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 pounds sauerkraut (1 Kg)
- 1/2 cup prunes, diced (80g)
- 1 tablespoon ground marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 whole allspice berries
- 1 apple or pear, cored and sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Cover the dried mushrooms in warm water and soak for an hour. They will not be completely rehydrated but will continue to soften while cooking with the other ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C).
- Cut the ribs into pieces, one bone per piece, or if small or thinner, two bones per piece.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add all of the ribs to the pan (or fry in batches if necessary). Sprinkle with salt. Brown for 3 – 5 minutes on one side. The meat will finish cooking in the oven. Remove from the pan, leaving the fat.
- Add the bacon, cooking over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add. the onion, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 10 – 15 minutes. Add garlic at the end of the cooking time.
- Squeeze the sauerkraut until no longer dripping. Roughly chop and add to the pan along with the prunes. Slice the slightly tender mushrooms and add to the pan. Reserve the liquid for this or other recipes. Add the marjoram, pepper, caraway, bay leaves, and allspice. Stir to combine, and cook over medium-low for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Add 3/4 of the sauerkraut mixture to a 9 x 13-inch pan (25 x 35 cm or smaller), add the ribs, and top. with the remaining sauerkraut.
- (Optional) top with sliced apples or pears. You could also add 1/2 – 1 cup (125 – 250 ml) water, apple juice or water from the mushrooms for a more moist dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours. This might seem like a long time. The meat will be cooked after an hour, but it’s in the second hour that the magic happens. The meat will become fall-off-the-bone tender, and the flavors will have melded beautifully.
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
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