Tonight I was feeling like I needed a little Oktoberfest inspired meal. I was also feeling a bit creative, so I put the two feelings together and came up with this dish. Whether using traditional or sous vide methods, this dish is simple to prepare. I really like the flavor of wurst cooked in sauerkraut (especially when bacon is involved), so I figured why not give sous vide a try. For those who don’t know, weisswurst is a delicately flavored veal and pork sausage from Bavaria. Traditionally made in the morning, the sausage contains no preservatives and is uncured/un-smoked so it would be eaten in the morning as they would spoil by the afternoon. Today, the sausages contain preservatives, are vacuum packed and refrigerated for us to enjoy at any time. With this simple preparation, that was what I enjoyed tonight…

In a small pan, cook the bacon until crispy.

Add the bacon and 1 tablespoon of bacon renderings to the sauerkraut. Add cracked black pepper to the sauerkraut if desired.

Preparing Sous vide

Preheat the water bath to 148 degrees F. Place the sausages into a recloseable bag preferably with a valve. Add the sauerkraut to the bag and close.

Vacuum the bag by either the water displacement or small hand pump. Place the bag into the water bath for 2 to 6 hours.

Preparing Traditional

Add the sausages and sauerkraut into small sauce pan. Place pan over Medium heat and bring to a steady simmer. Reduce heat to Low and allow to lightly simmer for 20 minutes or more. Be careful to keep the heat low so the sausages don’t split.

When ready to eat

Toast the split rolls a deep golden brown. Place the sausages and sauerkraut into a serving bowl.

Spread some mustard on one side of the roll, place a sausage over it, and top with sauerkraut.

Enjoy!