Name: Instant Pot Choucroute Garnie
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb. smoked slab bacon, cut crosswise into 4 pieces; 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or rendered goose or duck fat; 1/2 head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 4 large garlic cloves, chopped; 1 lb. sauerkraut, drained; 1 lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, pricked all over with a fork; 2 tsp. dried juniper berries (optional); 1 tsp. caraway seeds; 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided; 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; 4 bay leaves; 1 1/2 lb. pork ribs (spare or baby back), cut into 2-rib pieces; 4 cooked knockwurst or bratwurst sausages (about 1 lb.); 1 cup dry white wine, preferably Riesling; Whole grain mustard and cornichons (for serving); An Instant Pot

Active Time
30 minutes
Total Time
1 hour, 10 minutes

A hearty bistro-ish dinner is unexpected but totally doable this way. The meat is fork-tender, and its fat virtually melts away, adding richness to the sauerkraut and cabbage.

Ingredients

8 servings

1 lb. smoked slab bacon, cut crosswise into 4 pieces

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or rendered goose or duck fat

1/2 head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced

2 onions, thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 lb. sauerkraut, drained

1 lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, pricked all over with a fork

2 tsp. dried juniper berries (optional)

1 tsp. caraway seeds

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 bay leaves

1 1/2 lb. pork ribs (spare or baby back), cut into 2-rib pieces

4 cooked knockwurst or bratwurst sausages (about 1 lb.)

1 cup dry white wine, preferably Riesling

Whole grain mustard and cornichons (for serving)

Special Equipment

An Instant Pot

Preparation

Step 1
Toss bacon and oil in cooker insert and select “Sauté.” Cook, turning occasionally, until exterior of bacon pieces are golden brown and some of the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate; set aside.
Step 2
Add cabbage, onions, and garlic to cooker insert and stir to coat. Add sauerkraut, potatoes, juniper berries, if using, and caraway seeds; season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and stir to combine.
Step 3
Tuck in bay leaves, then push bacon down into mixture. Set ribs on top and season with 1 tsp. salt. Prick each sausage with a fork in a couple of places and layer over ribs. Pour in wine. Lock on lid, making sure steam release valve is in the proper position. Select “Manual” and program for 13 minutes at high pressure.
Step 4
As soon as the time has elapsed, turn off cooker, “Quick Release” the steam, and unlock lid. The ribs and bacon should be tender when pierced with a small sharp knife.
Step 5
Transfer meat to a cutting board and sauerkraut and potatoes to a platter. Cut bacon into 1/2" slices, each sausage into 3 or 4 pieces (the skins might have burst but that’s fine), and pork into individual ribs. Set meat on top of sauerkraut and potatoes. Serve with mustard and cornichons alongside.

Leave a Review

Reviews (5)

This was delicious! I don't know how someone could say there wasn't enough liquid in it with the sourkraut and it's juice plus 1 cup of white wine? Wow. The flavors were well balance and the meat well flavored and delicious. After removing the bacon and sauteeing the onions, potatoes and garlic in the oils, adding the cabbage, sourkraut, spices and meats, it was perfect. Flavors well balanced. I only added half as much salt, though, and it was a bit too salty for us still. Each to his own taste, however.
- Anonymous
- Colorado
- 7/31/2018
Excellent. Anyone complaining about fat in a choucroute garnie is obviously making the wrong dish! My only issue was that the Instapot timing is off: I ended up putting it back on for another 5 min and doing a natural pressure release. Also, I added more wine, maybe 3/4 cup extra, simply because some recipes call for much more. Next time, I might add a couple other types of sausages or pork cuts to the party!
- danielccolon8279
- NYC
- 5/21/2018
I tried this recipe on some dinner guests, and they loved it. When I pulled the leftovers out of the fridge the next day, it was one solid block of fat. I made it for myself again, but this time I used slice bacon, poured off the bacon grease, added more cabbage, and didn't put in the ribs which, as someone else said, tasted great but looked unappealing. A keeper recipe with some alterations.
- eva_cook_in_training
- Jensen Beach, FL
- 4/17/2018
The flavors were fantastic and the prep was easy, but the recipe doesn't work as written. The Instant Pot needs sufficient liquid to come to pressure. I set it up and ran it for 13 minutes, no pressure to release and everything raw. Ran it again for 30 minutes, still no pressure, partially cooked. Added another cup of wine and a cup of water. LOTS of pressure during instant release, meat was falling off the bone. I will make it again, but add more liquid at the start.
- Anonymous
- Toronto, ON
- 3/14/2018
I tried this last weekend and it was awful!!! The sauerkraut was slathered grease from the bacon and pork ribs and way overcooked. The ribs looked an unappetizing gray color and were really chewy (I used pork spare ribs). The only decent part were the smoky bacon cubes. If you love greasy meat, this is for you, otherwise you might move on to something else.
- hollyladd
- Nashville, TN
- 3/1/2018