Good heavy covered pot big enough to hold about six quarts. Preheat oven to 400 F.
1 qt. GOOD sauerkraut (homemade, Claussen's, Kleinfeldt's, etc.)
After adding kraut to pot, fill the jar with water and add it.
Slice medium onion thinly and add.
caraway, if desired.
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 or 3 pounds of country style pork ribs.
Cover, put in oven, and lower heat to about 225 F.
Cooking at too high a temperature causes the edges (and the ingredients) to scorch. Lowering the temp is important here.
Serve with strong beer and big knedliky (Bohemian potato dumplings), recipe below:
Knedliky
Equal parts boiled potatoes and flour. (boil spuds, mash, and let cool until you can almost handle them without protection.)
Add flour to potatoes, sprinkle in a handful of farina into mix (as a binder), and salt to taste, and mix thoroughly.
Knead well, let rest about 15-20 minutes to moisten all flour and farina, then form into potato-shaped cannonballs, kneading the dough in your hands for a minute before making next dumpling.
Add to water at a full boil. Boil uncovered ten minutes, stir to unstick from the bottom, lower heat, and cover for ten more minutes.
When the dumplings float to the top, they are cooked. (These are DENSE, HEAVY, and utterly delish. Any leftovers can be saved, diced, fried and served with eggs for breakfast.)
Serve with gravy or melted butter, and the kraut and pork. Experience will make you really good at it. Even your mistakes will be delicious!