The Best of the Wurst:
Celebrate Oktoberfest
With a Traditional German Feast

Care to take a guess at the largest minority in this area? That’s right, it’s German, with more than 26 percent of Allegheny County’s population. Spring Hill takes the kuchen, but there are heavy concentrations in other North Side neighborhoods such as Troy Hill and in neighboring municipalities such as Millvale, Etna, West View and Reserve.

Every October, beer steins all around Pittsburgh are hoisted in honor of Oktoberfest, the annual celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Leopold of Bavaria to some lady named Therese (not that Teresa) in 1810. The celebration in Munich attracts millions of guests from around the world who consume 5 million liters of beer and 400,000 sausages. It could be wurst! Plan an Oktoberfest of your own for family and friends, or scale back the recipes for a smaller meal.

Ingredients:
2 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped
2 pounds sauerkraut
2 bottles dark beer
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds of assorted wurst (bratwurst, weisswurst, knockwurst)
2 smoked pork chops

Directions:
Fry the bacon in a large dutch oven. Remove the bacon and sauté the onion in the rendered fat over low heat until it is lightly browned and tender. Rinse the sauerkraut several times, squeezing well to remove the salty brine. Add the sauerkraut to the pot along with the beer, caraway seeds and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer, partially
covered, for 2 hours. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the assorted wurst. Sauté until they’re
brown. Add them to the sauerkraut along with the smoked pork chops and simmer for another hour. Add more beer if necessary.
Serves 6.

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