Name: German Smokehouse Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons bacon grease; 3 Yukon gold or medium russet potatoes, chopped; Kent’s Low-Sodium Original Seasoning, or salt and pepper, to taste; 21 oz. smoked sausage or bratwurst, sliced in rings; 1 large yellow onion, sliced; 2 cups sauerkraut (well drained), or Kent’s No-Kraut Swap (see notes); 1/4 cup whole grain mustard; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup beer (German beer, lager, or Shiner Bock) or chicken broth; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving (optional); 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon bacon grease; 4 cups shredded green cabbage; 2 tart apples, cored and chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; Salt and pepper, to taste

Jump to Recipe

Grab a big cast iron skillet, folks. We’re putting together a smokehouse supper with browned sausage, crispy potatoes, tender onions, and a tangy mustard sauce. You can make it with sauerkraut, but if you’re on my side of that fence, I’ve got a cabbage-and-apple swap you’ll want to try.

We’re tipping our hats to the German families who brought their food traditions to Texas. Smoked sausage, sauerkraut, and those German meat markets helped shape the flavors we enjoy today. This skillet brings some of that inspiration to the chuckwagon.

We appreciate you sharing our recipes with your friends and family!

Start with crispy potatoes

You can use Yukon gold or russet potatoes for this recipe. I like to leave the peeling on and cut them into evenly sized pieces so they cook at about the same rate.

Heat the bacon grease in your skillet, then spread the potatoes into an even layer. Give everybody a little room. If your skillet is crowded, cook them in batches so they can brown properly.

Tip: Don’t start stirring right away. Let the potatoes sit long enough to develop a good crust underneath before turning them. Once they’re crisp and tender, transfer them to a plate and season while they’re hot.

Brown the sausage and onions

Add a little more bacon grease to the skillet and cook the sliced onion until it’s partly softened. Then add your sausage and let those rings brown while the onion finishes cooking.

I used skinless kielbasa, but your favorite smoked sausage will work here. Browning it with the onions gives this supper a good foundation of flavor before we add the mustard and cabbage.

Not a sauerkraut fan? Try Kent’s No-Kraut Swap

My dad loved sauerkraut and hot dogs. When that was on the menu, I was happy to find myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

For this skillet, I made a version that suits my taste a little better: fresh green cabbage cooked with tart apples, butter, and bacon grease. A little garlic goes in near the end, followed by apple cider vinegar for that tangy finish.

This is a quick cooked cabbage mixture, so there’s no fermenting involved. It brings a little sweetness from the apples and enough tang to stand up to the sausage and mustard.

If you already love sauerkraut, use it. Just drain it well before adding it to the skillet.

Bring the skillet together

Stir the whole grain and Dijon mustards into the sausage and onions, then gently fold the potatoes back in. You worked for those crispy edges, so don’t mash them up now.

Add the sauerkraut or cabbage-and-apple swap, then pour in the beer. A German beer, lager, or Shiner Bock will work. If you prefer, use chicken broth instead.

Let everything simmer briefly until it’s hot and the liquid has reduced a little. You want enough moisture left to carry that mustard flavor through the skillet.

A smokehouse supper worth sharing

You get smoky sausage, hearty potatoes, and a little bite from the mustard in every forkful. With the cabbage-and-apple version, there’s a balance of sweet and tangy flavor that brings it all together.

Serve it warm, add a little chopped parsley if you like, and gather everybody around the table.

As always, thank you for watching our videos and visiting our website. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and like and share the videos you enjoy. We release a new video every Wednesday at 2:30! Until next time, when we see y’all out on the cowboy cooking trail.

Latest Recipes From Cowboy Kent Rollins

Cherry-Almond Butter Bars

Cast Iron Cowboy Maggie Creek Ranch Episode

Jambalaya

German Smokehouse Skillet

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Ingredients

3 tablespoons bacon grease
3 Yukon gold or medium russet potatoes, chopped
Kent’s Low-Sodium Original Seasoning, or salt and pepper, to taste
21 oz. smoked sausage or bratwurst, sliced in rings
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 cups sauerkraut (well drained), or Kent’s No-Kraut Swap (see notes)
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup beer (German beer, lager, or Shiner Bock) or chicken broth
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)

Kent's No-Kraut Version (No-Ferment Swap)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon bacon grease
4 cups shredded green cabbage
2 tart apples, cored and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Melt 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the potatoes in an even layer in the skillet. Leave them a few minutes until they start to develop a crust on the bottom. You may need to cook in two batches. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, or until crisp and tender. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate. Season with Kent’s Original Seasoning, or salt and pepper, to taste.

Return to the skillet and melt 1 tablespoon of bacon grease over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until about ¾ done, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sausage and cook until the sausage is evenly browned and the onions are tender.

Add the sausage and onions into the potato skillet. Stir in the mustards until combined well. Stir in the sauerkraut and beer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Serve warm.