Sweet Sauerkraut

This is a recipe that not everyone will enjoy.  I do because it's taste is so familiar.  My great aunts and grandmother had German speaking parents and all of them were good cooks.  My mom often made sauerkraut and I can still remember how it smelled while it sat fermenting in a crock inside the house.   This recipe came from the web site: www.recipezaar.com. 

Sweet Sauerkraut

1--28 oz jar sauerkraut
2 diced apples or 1/2 cup applesauce (I omit this)
1 bay leaf
1 onion, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 pinch black pepper
3-4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lard or bacon drippings.

Drain the sauerkraut only if it's too salty, otherwise use with its' own liquid.
Heat the lard in a large saucepan.
Take a handful of the sauerkraut and squeeze it dry.
Put it in the hot lard and fry until the sauerkraut has brown edges
Add the apples, bay leaf, onion, caraway seeds and 2 Tbsp. of brown sugar.
Add water to just barely cover the sauerkraut.
Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add more sugar, if needed, gradually while the sauerkraut is cooking, tasting often.
The sauerkraut should be pleasantly sweet and sour but not too sweet

I often made a different and easier version of this by heating the sauerkraut in saucepan and adding dill seed or dill weed and brown sugar to taste.  I let it simmer uncovered and let some of the liquid escape so the brown sugar clings to the sauerkraut.  It's ready more quickly than the recipe above and still has the "German flavor" I remember.