Cornell Cookbook #17: Podvarak (Serbian Baked Sauerkraut)

12/12/2020 5:05 pm

For more, visit the Cornell Around the World Cookbook.

Ingredients:
3 -32 oz. jars of sauerkraut
1 package bacon, browned
1/2-2/3 cup of bacon grease (if your bacon doesn't make at least 1/2 a cup of grease, that's okay, just use what you have)
1 Tablespoon dried chopped onion
2 heaping teaspoons paprika
6-7 bay leaves
2 cups of water

Instructions:
1. Cook bacon until browned. Save bacon grease. Once cooled, chop into roughly 1" pieces.
2. Heat oven to 350.
3. Drain all sauerkraut in a strainer and mix sauerkraut with hands under cold water for a few seconds to rinse.
4. Squeeze one handful at a time (to remove excess water) and put aside in a bowl.
5. Heat bacon grease in a large pot on low to medium.
6. Add dried chopped onion and paprika.
7. Sizzle for 5-6 seconds and then add in sauerkraut.
8. Stir to evenly coat sauerkraut with mixture and continue to stir for about 2 minutes.
9. Turn off heat and mix in bacon and bay leaves.
10. Pour into large ceramic baking dish (roughly 9x13 will work).
11. Add 1 1/2 cups of water.
12. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
13. Stir sauerkraut. If water has evaporated, add another half a cup.
14. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until all water has evaporated and the top has started to brown. (Should be no more than 2 hours total.)