kraut
Sauerkraut. Sour cabbage put up for winter.
Also called sauerkraut, sour kraut.
Updated September 24, 2026
kraut pronunciation
/KROWT/
Meaning
In Appalachian and rural Southern kitchens, kraut means homemade sauerkraut: shredded cabbage packed with salt and left to ferment in a crock or barrel. Folks eat it with beans, pork, potatoes, or on a hot dog. Putting up kraut was winter insurance when the garden was done. Short for sauerkraut, said like it belongs on the table.
How folks use it
- “Mama's putting up kraut this week while the cabbage is still firm.”
- “Pass the kraut. Them beans need something sharp.”
Origin and etymology
From German Sauerkraut. Horace Kephart called kraut one of the few German words that stuck in Southern mountain speech, thanks to Pennsylvania Dutch and other German settlers. Scotch-Irish cooks had no better word for the dish, so kraut stayed.
Frequently asked questions
Is kraut just store-bought sauerkraut?
It can be. Old-timers usually mean the homemade crock kind.