Craig,
Even your friends who do not care for saurkraut might enjoy this one. It is not pucker-sour like most.

1 small head of cabbage, shredded
1 jar Bick's sauerkraut (do not use canned - you can taste the tin)
1 large (or two medium) onions, chopped coarsely
2 medium carrots, cut in half lengthwise and in half the other way
10 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons Open Pit barbeque sauce (original style) or ketchup
1 1/2 bottles of beer (you can add all of the second bottle, if you wish)
1/2 lb. bacon
1 pork hock (smoked, if possible - a ham bone is even better!)

In a large pot, add saurkraut and saurkraut juice (remove the red pepper), beer, peppercorns, bay leaves, pork hock and Open Pit and turn on high heat. In the meantime, prepare carrots, onion and shred cabbage. Toss these in your pot as you go. When saurkraut starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally to mix saurkraut with the fresh cabbage. Cut bacon strips in half lengthwise and slice into pieces no more than 1/4 inch wide. Fry these up in a frying pan until they are ALMOST crisp. Let them rest in the frying pan along with the drippings until you are ready for them. Simmer the saurkraut for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the texture of the fresh cabbage resembles the texture of the pickled, i.e. until it's hard to tell them apart. At this point, add the bacon and drippings. Simmer for 30 minutes more. Do not allow the mixture to become dry. Add water as necessary. The saurkraut juices blend nicely with your potatoes. To serve, remove carrot and pork hock (or bone)and toss - the flavor has been simmered out of these. Remove bay leaf when you come across it and warn your guests to not bite into the peppercorns (or you can try to pick them out when you see any).

Serve with your favorite pork, ribs, or sausage AND potatoes (boiled or mashed). Flavor is actually better the second day. Easily reheated in the microwave or stovetop, as long as it has not become dry. This can also be made without the pork hock or the ham bone. Simply increase your bacon to a full pound, add it to the saurkraut a bit sooner and simmer a little longer after the bacon has been added.

Good Luck
Joyce