Venison sausage braised in sauerkraut*

Kevin made it. It makes me hungry just to write it up.

Venison Sausage Braised in Sauerkraut
(serves four normal adults, or my husband and me)

1 ¼ lb. German-style sausage (we used venison)
2 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 T. caraway seeds
½ t. black pepper
2 lbs. sauerkraut, drained
1 ½ cup apple cider
1 cup stout or porter (we used Cape Cod Beer porter; Guinness would work fine)
1 T. sugar

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, and cook until it is browned on all sides. If the sausage is already fully cooked, just brown it a little. If it’s raw, you should cook it almost until it’s cooked through, which will mean it will be quite brown on the outside.

Remove the sausage from the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the onion, caraway, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have wilted and are beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes.

Add the sauerkraut, cider, stout or porter, and sugar. Lay the sausages on top of the mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Put the lid on ajar so some of the steam can escape, and cook about 20 minutes.

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