Transylvanian Pork & Sauerkraut
Submitted by hjane
Transylvanian pork and sauerkraut layered casserole with paprika-braised pork, kielbasa, rice, tangy sauerkraut, and sour cream sauce. Hungarian-Romanian comfort food at its richest.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
90 minREADY
2 hrsThis is rakott káposzta in Hungarian, the layered cabbage casserole that defines Sunday dinner across Transylvania. Pork shoulder braised in sweet paprika, soured kraut, pillows of paprika rice, and rings of kielbasa, all stacked in a deep dish and bound by sour cream.
The layering order matters. Sauerkraut on the bottom catches juices; pork goes next so it stays moist; rice in the middle absorbs the sour cream sauce; sausage rings crown the top so they crisp in the oven. Build it carefully and every spoonful pulls something from every layer.
Don’t skip washing and squeezing the sauerkraut. Straight from the jar it is too aggressively tangy and salty for a long bake. A rinse and a hard squeeze tames it so the dish lands balanced instead of puckering.
Use sweet Hungarian paprika if you can find it. Generic paprika is dusty and one-note; Hungarian sweet paprika is fragrant and slightly fruity, exactly what this casserole leans on for color and depth. Add it off heat or in liquid, never to scorching fat, because paprika burns fast and turns bitter.
Pro Tips
- Cut pork into 1 inch cubes for the right meat-to-sauce ratio.
- Stir sour cream into the pork off heat to prevent curdling.
- Let the casserole rest 10 minutes after baking; layers slice cleaner.
- Leftovers reheat brilliantly; the flavors deepen overnight.
Variations
- Use smoked pork shoulder or hocks for a smokier base.
- Swap rice for barley, a traditional twist in Transylvanian Saxon homes.
- Add a layer of sliced apple between kraut and pork for a sweet-sour lift.
Ingredients
Directions
Dredge the pork in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Heat shortening in a skillet and lightly brown the meat.
Transfer meat to another container, and add the onions to the skillet.
Cook until the onions are light brown.
Return the meat to the skillet.
Add one-half cup of water, cover, and cook over low heat for about one hour, until meat is tender.
Add more water if necessary.
Wash sauerkraut; drain and squeeze the water out.
Place in a saucepan and add two tablespoons of liquid in which the meat is cooking.
Add ¼ Tbs paprika and half the water.
Cover and simmer slowly for thirty minutes, add more water as necessary.
Remove the meat from the heat and stir in the sour cream until well mixed.
Add salt to taste.
Cook the rice in 2 Tbs shortening for about 5 minutes.
Add ¼ cup of water, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Add ¼ Tbs paprika. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Arrange the foods in an large ovenproof caassarole as follows: sauerkraut, pork cubes, rice, sausage rings, and sauce.
Continue building layers until all the ingredients are used, ending with the sauce and a garnish of sausage rings.
Bake the cassarole for thirty minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Bake 350℉ (180℃) 30min.
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