Apfelkraut and Sausage

This is something that I saw on TV and had to share. Of course I mixed it up a little bit from the original recipe. Very simple and another one of those recipes that you can just throw into a crock pot and let it cook all day or all night if you want to do it that way. One thing is that it is a mix of two regions of cuisine that I hold dearly to my heart. German and American fusion is something that I have found as a great way to make some wonderfully joyous food. I know that it doesn't sound like it is that healthy but it really isn't that bad with the proper ingredients. You can sub chicken sausage instead of pork or beef. Many chicken sausages are decently priced and aren't bad for you at all. I like to mix kielbasa and bratwurst in mine but that is me. You can even do the italian version with subbing the cabbage with peppers, onions, and tomato. Eat it on a sandwich roll or on a plate. This is easy and doesn't involve any real work at all. Here are the things you'll need.

2 Granny Smith Apples (cored and quartered)
4 lager beers (I use Killian's in mine. Something like Yeungling or Budweiser will work also)
1 lb Kielbasa (cut into inch long pieces along bias)
4 Bratwurst links (raw sausage...not cooked)
1 32 oz bottle Apple Juice
1 head Cabbage or 2 bags of shredded cabbage
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (the acidity will cook out don't worry...you just want the bite)
2 tbsp Mustard Seed (brown mustard seed if you can find it)

First things first. You're going to cook the bratwurst in 2 of the beers. Just put the two beers in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil with some salt. Once boiling, add the bratwurst and cook for 20 minutes. While waiting for the brats to cook. Go ahead and set the mix in the crock pot. Dump shredded cabbage into pot and then add the apples, apple juice, remaining two beers, vinegar, mustard seed and kielbasa in the pot and set on high. Once Brats are done, cut them into inch long pieces just like the kielbasa and discard beer that you cooked those in. You don't want to cross contaminate them. Throw in a little bit of minced garlic or a couple of shakes of hot sauce if you want to. Totally optional. Cook on high for about 3-4 hours then turn on low until you're ready to eat. If you just want to leave it all night then cook on low for 7-8 hours. You get the same result. What comes out of this is a very deep, rich, and sweet kraut with sausage that is just bursting with flavor. Like I said earlier, feel free to experiment with this as its not an exact recipe and it can be changed to suit your pallet and taste. One thing that is constant with German food is that the seasoning is very simple and involves very little spice. You mix it with American thought with seasoning food and it can be even better. I just enjoy the simpleness of German cuisine. Its often cooked with wine, beer, or other fruity and earthy flavors. It lends itself to its simple nature but has a very complex flavor profile when done correctly. I'll add some more of these recipes along with mixes with German/Low Country/Cajun/Creole fused ideas that I have come up with. Some great side dishes to go with this recipe are corn, apple dumplings, fried potatoes, or perhaps some good old potato salad.