Choucroute garni

3
Points®
Total Time
1 hr 2 min
Prep
12 min
Cook
50 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Moderate
In France, choucroute is traditionally cooked with plenty of goose or duck fat and other high fat smoked pork items, like kielbasa and bacon. This version replaces those ingredients with lean smoked turkey sausage and pork tenderloin thus providing only a fraction of the fat. The lean pork and store-bought sauerkraut in this recipe are a natural combination that apples only serve to improve. They also make this dish much quicker and easier to prepare for busy home cooks. For the best flavor, use the sauerkraut found in plastic bags in the supermarket refrigerator section rather than the bottled or canned variety.

Ingredients

Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp

Fresh thyme

2 tsp, leaves

Dark brown sugar

1 tsp, packed

Garlic

1 clove(s), minced

Table salt

½ tsp

Black pepper

½ tsp, freshly ground

Uncooked lean pork tenderloin

1¼ pound(s), trimmed of all visible fat

Uncooked turkey sausage

2 oz, smoked, chopped

Onion

1 small, (white) minced

Granny Smith apple

1 medium, cored and grated

Apple cider vinegar

1 cup(s)

Sauerkraut

1 pound(s), rinsed and squeezed dry

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl mix the mustard, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, the brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Coat the tenderloin with the mixture and place it in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan brown the sausage about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, apple, and the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme; cook, covered, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until it is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sauerkraut and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer.
  3. Slice the tenderloin into 1/2-inch medallions. Fan the medallions on 4 plates and serve with the sauerkraut.