Podvarak/ Baked Sauerkraut

During the winter months, sauerkraut or pickled cabbage is consumed regularly in Balkan households. It’s used to make many different traditional dishes such as Sarma, Kiseli Kupus sa Mesom, and Podvarak, a simple sauerkraut baked dish that is accompanied by delicious smoked meats that are also widely available in the winter.

Podvarak is one of those dishes that is very quick and easy to put together. After gathering all of your ingredients, it takes no time at all to throw this one-pot meal together and serve a crowd. It’s best paired with some delicious, savory cornbread. I love mine with feta cheese.

This dish is best prepared with homemade whole heads of pickled cabbage, but seeing as how most people don’t have barrels of kiseli kupus in their homes, store-bought works just fine. I actually prefer to use sauerkraut in bags (find it near the deli aisle) since it’s already cut thinly and perfect for this recipe.

I hope you decide to give this delicious dish a try. Feel free to use whatever smoked meat you’d like. Sometimes I opt for pork ribs and other times I use smoked turkey legs. My mom’s favorite meat to add to this dish is definitely smoked turkey. In fact, that’s the type of Podvarak I grew up on. You can’t go wrong with Podvarak, especially if you’re feeding a crowd.

Podvarak/ Baked Sauerkraut

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCourse: MainCuisine: Balkan, Serbian

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

A traditional winter meal, prepared using pickled cabbage and smoked meat.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1/2 cup (100 ml) oil

• 1 large head of pickled cabbage, sliced thinly (or 3 – 2 lb bags, drained)

• 1 teaspoon (3 g) paprika (aleva paprika)

• 4 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon (6 g) Vegeta seasoning

• 1 teaspoon (3 g) black pepper (biber)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Water

• Smoked meat to taste (smoked ribs, bacon, etc.)

Directions

• Rinse your pickled cabbage. Place the thinly sliced cabbage into a large bowl of fresh cold water and let sit for 15-20 minutes before using. Do this if using sauerkraut in a bag as well.
• In a large deep, oven-safe pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the water from the cabbage. Then, using your hands, squeeze all the remaining water from the cabbage and transfer it to the pot. Stir to combine all the ingredients well.
• Add in the paprika, black pepper, Vegeta seasoning, garlic, and bay leaves. Stir. Continue cooking everything together on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauerkraut slightly softens.
• After the cabbage has softened, arrange your meat of choice on top of the cabbage. Pour enough water into the pot to just cover the cabbage. Continue cooking on medium heat for 1 hour.
• After one hour, transfer your pot to a 400 F / 200 C oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Serve immediatly.

Notes

• For a truly authentic experience, use 2 tablespoons of lard instead of oil.
• Taste your cabbage before adding in the Vegeta. Keep in mind that both the cabbage and the smoked meat will be salted, so be careful with the amount of Vegeta you add.

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