German · Authentic-ish German
Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut
260 kcal a serving, against 630 for the traditional version. That is 370 kcal off, or 59%, with 16.2g of protein. Serves 4. 35 minutes.
What the traditional version is
An authentic Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut means big, fat pork sausages made with a mix of pork shoulder and belly, often pan-fried or grilled until crisp and golden. The sauerkraut is cooked gently with onion, apple, a bit of caraway and a splash of beer, finished with a knob of butter. Some places give you a pile of browned potatoes too. You eat it with mustard and a tall stein of lager.
What changed, and what each change costs
480g high-fat pork bratwurst to 480g reduced-fat frankfurter
Bratwurst is one of the fattiest sausages in Europe. You can cut the fat but you can't replace the flavour. I use reduced-fat frankfurter to hold onto the sausage shape and texture, even though it isn't a true bratwurst. It saves a shocking pile of fat and leaves the protein more or less intact.
What it costs you. You lose the snap and the rich, porky burst you get when you bite into real bratwurst. Frankfurters are milder and leaner, so the whole dish feels lighter but also a touch more boring. The Germans would call it an imitation and they'd be right.
Butter-fried potatoes out, none in
Potatoes fried in butter are pure comfort, but they are a starchy side you don't need if you're trying to keep things in line. The kraut and sausage can stand alone as a meal.
What it costs you. The loss here is all about comfort. No crusty golden potatoes to soak up juice. That's life.
Butter in the sauerkraut swapped for 15g olive oil
Butter adds lovely richness to the kraut, but olive oil does the job with less saturated fat. You still get silkiness that stops the kraut feeling dry.
What it costs you. The kraut is a bit less lush, but it's not a disaster. Once you've got sausage and mustard, you'll barely notice.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 630 | 260 |
| Protein | 19g | 16.2g |
| Fat | 38.6g | 15.6g |
| Saturated fat | 16.1g | 2.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 49.9g | 15.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3g | 6.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish German prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, celery, mustard.
The method is in the book
There is no world in which a frankfurter does what a fresh bratwurst can do. Germans would laugh me out of their kitchens for even trying. But it means you can eat sausage and kraut for lunch without feeling like you've just swallowed a cannonball. You keep the texture, most of the protein, and lose a serious amount of fat. No potatoes means it's a lighter meal. I won't lie, you'll miss the buttery potatoes and the snap of sizzling bratwurst, but that's the price. Eat it with your favourite mustard and a beer anyway.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish German, along with 54 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.