Chrome Silver Dice

Make Sauerkraut Part of your Summer Grilling

Bear Creek, Wis. â€“ Shine the chrome skewers, grab the spring-loaded tongs, and donâ€™t forget the long-handled fork. Summerâ€™s just around the corner and that means itâ€™s time to roll out the grill. True-blue grillers will enjoy extra-tasty outdoor cooking when they include Sauerkraut on their menus.

Sauerkraut is one of the must-have grilling ingredients of the summer, especially given the mass consumption of favorites like hot dogs, sausages, and bratwursts. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates that Americans will consume 20 billion hot dogs this year.

Thatâ€™s a lot of opportunities to add Sauerkraut, said Ryan Downs, co-owner of Great Lakes Kraut Co. in Bear Creek, Wis.

â€œThere are many grilling recipes that become more appetizing when Sauerkrautâ€™s added as an ingredient, side dish, or condiment,â€ Downs said. â€œOne of our favorite recipes is Hot & Spicy Sauerkraut Topping. Itâ€™s perfect for putting a tasty spin on grilled hot dogs, sausages, brats, or hamburgers.â€

Besides adding an extra burst of flavor to grilled food, Sauerkraut offers a health bonus. University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute research shows that chemical compounds in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage â€“ from which Sauerkraut is derived â€“ may stop human prostate cancer cells from growing and may cut off the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors.

German Potato Salad is a natural side dish choice when grilling. Try this recipe.

HOT GERMAN POTATO SALAD

5 medium red potatoes

6 slices of bacon

Â½ cup medium onion, chopped

1 cup Silver FlossÂ® and Krrrrisp KrautÂ® Sauerkraut, drained

Â¼ cup water

Â½ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. salt

Â¼ tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

In a large pot, boil potatoes until tender. Drain and cool. Peel potatoes and cut into large diced pieces. In a 10-inch frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving drippings. Cut bacon into Â½-inch pieces. SautÃ© onions in the bacon fat until translucent. Add water and vinegar to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil. Stir in Sauerkraut, potatoes, and chopped bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Heat through. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve immediately.

Servings: 2-4

Silver FlossÂ® and Krrrrisp KrautÂ® Sauerkraut, winners of the ChefsBestâ„¢ Award as Americaâ€™s best-tasting Sauerkraut, are manufactured by the worldâ€™s largest Sauerkraut producer, Great Lakes Kraut Co., LLC, Bear Creek, Wis. With processing facilities in Bear Creek and Shortsville, N.Y. â€” the best cabbage growing regions in the world â€” the company combines modern technology and four generations of Sauerkraut-making expertise to produce the countryâ€™s leading brands. Silver Floss canned and jarred Sauerkraut is found in the canned vegetable section of grocery stores in the East, South, and Midwest. Krrrrisp Kraut refrigerated Sauerkraut is located in the meat department at grocery stores nationwide. For more information about Great Lakes Kraut and its award-winning brands, visit http://www.sauerkrautnews.com.

About the Author

Femi Cole is a public relations specialist for Infusion Inc. in Green Bay, Wis. He can be reached by calling (920) 435-9800, Ext. 231, or by e-mailing fcole@beinfused.com.