What's Cooking? - Sauerkraut Balls and Polish Hors D'oeuvres

This recipe is a little late, because the Sauerkraut Balls are traditionally New Years Eve treats. My mom used to make them every year. I decided to make some this year so I looked on the internet. So many different ways to make. Usually with ground ham or sausage and of course sauerkraut. Mostly with just an egg binder and rolled in breadcrumb or cracker crumbs. Because there was a vast variety of recipes (none were the same) I decided to dig out my moms cookbook. She make it herself, photocopying or typing recipes and putting them in plastic sleeves.

Mom's recipe was pretty insane too. Ground, pork, ham and corned beef. I didn't have all that so I went back to the internet. I found that this was a popular treat in the Cleveland area (although German in origin) and that a closed restaurant that we used to go to in Vermillion made the best ever. I hunted down their recipe and it was the same as my moms. I have no idea how she got that recipe, because she had it long before the rise of the internet. Back in the day, people would get recipes from someone who worked in a restaurant and pass it on by hand. I'm sure that's how she got it. That's enough backstory, now on to the Recipe.

Sauerkraut Balls

1/2 lb boneless ham                            1 t dry mustard
1/2 lb lean pork                                  1 t salt
1/2 lb corned beef                              2 C milk
1 medium onion                                  2 lb sauerkraut, cooked and drained and ground
1 t minced parsley                              flour      
3T shortening                                     2 eggs slightly beaten
2 C flour                                            dry bread crumbs

Put meats and onion through meat grinder (I used baby bullet) add parsley. Blend well and saute in shortening until browned. Add flour, mustard, salt and milk. Blend. Cook stirring constantly until thick. Add sauerkraut. Return to heat and cook stirring constantly until very thick. Cool.

Form into walnut sized balls. Roll in flour, dip in egg and roll in bread crumbs. Deep fry until golden brown.

I only had ham, and made 1/3 the recipe. There was a large mounded platter full, so this is a huge recipe.

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Bonus recipe is what we call Polish Hors D'oeuvres. Made them without telling the boys and they were so thrilled when they saw the platter. My Aunt, who married a Pole, gave us this recipe. Easy and yummy

Polish Hors D'oeuvres


Sliced hard salami (I prefer thin sliced)
Sweet Pickles
Cream Cheese


Amounts depend in how many you are making.


Cut sweet pickles into long spears (quarter lengthwise) lay a spear of pickle near one end of a slice if salami. Cut a piece of cream cheese about the same size and lay next to pickle. Roll pickle and cheese in salami and secure with a toothpick. Voila!