Haha, OP here. Kind if amazed that my crazed little post actually got some responses! Thanks everyone!

Central PA poster - I'm not hating on canned kraut! That's what I usually go with, but I guess I'm feeling a little fancier this year.

Went with bubbies, as some PP's suggested. I'm homesick for PA, so I'm mimicking what mom usually makes. I'll throw the pork and kraut in a slow cooker with some additional sliced onion (I prefer red, but that's a no no according to my mother), fennel seeds and maybe some green apple. Serving with simple mashed potatoes.

In Giant, and maybe other grocery stores sometimes, I've found Gundelsheim, which comes in a jar. It's made in Germany and is excellent.

I would alzo recomend checking Russian stores. They have sauerkraut imilar to what I would make on my own. Closest to TP would be one in Rockille, Russian Gourmet Rockville pike & Nikolson lane

Anonymous wrote:In our family we make our own sauerkraut.

Go. Away.

Mmmmm...pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes with sauerkraut/sauerkraut juice over them. Central Pennsylvanian here and while I'm absolutely fine with canned kraut, the stuff in bags you find in the meat section is good, too.

German Gourmet

OMG what an exciting post title! A sauerkraut crisis! I love it.

We've done one at Whole Foods (maybe the one PP referenced; there may be more than one brand) and it was good.

But I think I'll hang onto this thread to try out the PPs homemade versions. I bet they are awesome!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the best prepared kind is Bubbies-you can find it in a jar in the refrigerator section at Whole Foods (at my store it's near the tofu and fake meats), and probably at most natural food stores.

+1. This is the kind we like best.

My Organic Market (MOMs) carries it too.

In our family we make our own sauerkraut.

Anonymous wrote:I think the best prepared kind is Bubbies-you can find it in a jar in the refrigerator section at Whole Foods (at my store it's near the tofu and fake meats), and probably at most natural food stores.

+1. This is the kind we like best.

German Gourmet, of course!

My 1/2 polish grandfather would use the bagged kind found in about any grocery store next to the hot dogs. Add some half-boiled potatoes, browned pork, a little brown sugar, some vinegar, simmer on the stove.

Get the bagged kind in the refrigerated section. Giant Safeway anywhere will have it. Silver floss is a common brand.

I also recommend the following: do not rinse. Peel and finely grate a small to medium onion, a medium potato, and an apple into the pot as well. Add fennel or coriander seeds. Depends on your tastes. I do a bit of both.

I think the best prepared kind is Bubbies-you can find it in a jar in the refrigerator section at Whole Foods (at my store it's near the tofu and fake meats), and probably at most natural food stores.

Okay, not really.

So, my Pennsylvania Dutch roots are showing, and I want to make pork and sauerkraut for the new year. I don't want to make my own kraut, but I want something a little better than canned. I've heard that Trader Joe's kraut is good, but the only kind I can find has cucumbers, which my DH won't eat (sadly, because it sounds amazing to me). Any other suggestions on where to find good kraut? I'm in Takoma DC, if that matters.

I realize that most of DCUM is probably way too classy for sauerkraut, so thanks in advance if anyone has any ideas!