Sauerkraut Soup Recipe

How to make it

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• This kind of soup, for me, is a 2-day process because I have to get the flavour out of the meat bones. So it's difficult to put in a cook time on these recipes. I usually get up on Saturday morning, and put on my meat and veggies to simmer and then I simmer them all day. When I have a chance before evening, I remove the meat and veggies from the broth so that I can put the broth in the fridge overnight to congeal the fat on top of the broth so that it is easy to remove. So Sunday, I remove the fat and finish the soup. But I make huge cauldrons of it so that I can freeze a bunch, give some to family and friends and still have a whole bunch in the fridge for meals and lunches. It is worth it for me to take the time to do my own broth this way because we just love and live on soup and enjoy it so much. I also love to make it like some people love to make bread! Anyway to the instructions:
• Cover pork hocks, 1 whole onion, 1 whole carrot , 1 whole celery stalk and 2 bay leaves in a soup cauldron and just cover all with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and reduce to simmer. Simmer pork hocks all day until tender, adding further water if required.
• Cook bacon and remove, cutting into small pieces. Refrigerate until needed and reserve bacon fat, also in fridge.
• Remove pork hocks from heat when they are tender, discard vegetables and bay leaves, remove meat and discard rind and fat from the pork hocks. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces, cover and store in fridge. I usually keep what I can of the meat scraps and mash the carrot up with them and feed to the dogs. They just love it and it is so good for them.
• This is the point I put my broth into the fridge for the night. The next morning the fat will have risen to the top so that you can easily remove it with a large spoon. After doing so, return the broth to the stove, warming it up over medium-high heat. Chop and add onion, celery, carrot and potato, and remaining bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add soups, sauerkraut and pork. Nuke the bacon fat until it is once again liquid, add a tablespoon or so of flour to it and add to the soup to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer to blend flavours, maybe for a half an hour, but don't boil after you put the pork in the soup or it will get mushy. Freezes beautifully.