Székely Pork and Sauerkraut Stew (Székelykáposzta)
Székelykáposzta Say it: SAY-kay-KAH-poss-taw
Székelykáposzta is Hungary's hearty pork-and-sauerkraut stew, a paprika-red pörkölt enriched with tangy fermented cabbage and finished with sour cream. Despite the name — which points to a 19th-century Hungarian figure rather than to the Székely land — it belongs to the everyday kitchens of Transylvania and the Hungarian plain. The meat braises to tenderness while the sauerkraut softens but keeps its pleasant sourness. It is a cold-weather dish through and through, served with crusty bread and a spoonful of cold sour cream on top.
Székely Pork and Sauerkraut Stew (Székelykáposzta)
Székelykáposzta
Pronounced SAY-kay-KAH-poss-taw
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the stew
To finish
Method
Heat the lard in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and cook the onions with a pinch of salt, stirring often, until soft and golden at the edges, 8–10 minutes.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the paprika and garlic, letting them sizzle in the residual heat for about 20 seconds so the paprika blooms without burning.
Return to medium-high heat, add the pork and brown it, turning occasionally, until the cubes lose their raw color and sear at the edges, 8–10 minutes.
Stir in the caraway, black pepper and bay leaves, pour in the water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 40–45 minutes, until the pork is nearly tender when pierced with a knife.
Meanwhile, squeeze the drained sauerkraut lightly in your hands. Add it to the pot and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick, glossy sauce.
Taste and add salt only if needed — the sauerkraut is already salty. Fish out the bay leaves.
Whisk the flour into the sour cream until smooth, then stir in a ladleful of the hot stew to warm it.
Stir the tempered cream into the pot and simmer very gently, without boiling, for 4–5 minutes, until the stew turns creamy and coats the back of a spoon.
Regional variants
Many cooks add a piece of smoked pork or a few slices of smoked bacon with the fresh meat for a deeper, smokier broth. A splash of white wine or a spoonful of tomato paste is sometimes used to round out the acidity of the cabbage.
Cook's notes
- Use sweet Hungarian paprika, not hot — the dish should be rich and mild, and paprika turns bitter if it fries in hot fat.
- Never let the stew boil hard once the sour cream goes in, or it will split.
- If your sauerkraut is extremely sour, rinse it once and taste before adding salt; if it is mild, add a splash of its own brine at the end.
Serve with
Crusty white bread, a bowl of extra cold sour cream, and a sprinkle of fresh green pepper or pickled pepper on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 3 days in the fridge and improves overnight; reheat gently over low heat with a spoonful of water so the cream does not split. It also freezes well for up to 2 months, though the sour cream is best stirred in after reheating.
