Sauerkraut from The Brinery

Whenever possible, Zingerman's Deli tries to keep things local. So when it came time to improve one of the four ingredients on our Reuben sandwiches, Chef and Managing Partner of Zingeman's Deli Rodger Bowser reached out to legendary Ann Arbor farmer and entrepreneur David Klingenberger for assistance. You see, David had been deep into lacto-fermentation for years and he was doing amazing things with cabbage and salt so it made sense. 

David's business, The Brinery, created a saurkraut that should be considered the benchmark for the product across the country. It's crunchy and snaps with each bite and basically makes a Reuben the iconic sandwich it truly is. You get all the textures and even temperatures across a Reuben when done right: soft, chewy bread; cool, creamy Russian dressing; rich, meaty, hot corned beef; and finally crisp, crunchy kraut with a sour kick pulling it all together.

While it's great on a sandwich, don't stop there. Cook it up with onions and bacon for a mid-winter hearty dish. Serve it alongside pierogies or potatoes or bratwurst. 

Store in the fridge. It's a living, perishable food!