Baltimoreans need to have sauerkraut on Thanksgiving, and I am confident that no one does it better than Little Donna’s.

The intimate Fells Point eatery has caught the attention of The New York Times, which called it one of the nation’s best restaurants as well as one of the top pizza spots. But it’s not just big city food critics who love the place. Locals adore its warm ambience, tavern pies and chef Robbie Tutlewski’s imaginative takes on Eastern European food traditions. Among them, sauerkraut and sausage, which you’d better add to any order of pierogis.

The recipe comes from Tutlewski’s dad, Bob. The chef sent it with a warning: “We have been kicked out of many parties for this recipe. As soon as we walk in, the whole house reeks of smoked meat and kraut. People either love it or hate it.”

Having tried this dish, I fall firmly in the “love it” category, and frankly I’m not sure I want to be friends with anyone who feels otherwise. While preparing at home, we halved Tutlewski’s original recipe, which calls for 10 pounds of sausage and can feed up to 15. Our take uses five pounds of sausage and can feed about seven. (We kept the same amount of sauerkraut, though. We’re in Charm City, after all.)

Either way, you’ll need a nice big pot with a lid — preferably a Dutch oven or something sturdy.

You can also try the recipe for Rooted Rotisserie’s macaroni and cheese, Foraged’s mushroom stew and Dutch Courage’s Brussels sprout salad.

Ingredients

• 2½ pounds fresh Polish sausage, preferably Ostrowski’s
• 2½ pounds smoked kielbasa
• ½ pack bacon, medium diced
• 1 yellow onion, small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head fresh green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 small bags sauerkraut in brine (drained)
• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
• ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅛ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• ½ tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Find a large pot that has a lid and enough space not to crowd all the ingredients.
2. Cook bacon in butter and olive oil. Do this slowly to render bacon fat. Remove the bacon, add both sausages to the fat and sear on all sides. Do not brown or cook sausages all the way through; this is only to brown them slightly.
3. Remove the sausage and toast caraway seeds and mustard seeds in the rendered fat. Sauté with onions and garlic. Add the sliced cabbage and cook until fully wilted — about 10 minutes.
4. Deglaze with apple cider vinegar and add brown sugar. Add your drained sauerkraut and bring to a boil. Add the cooked bacon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer.
5. Remove half of the cabbage mix and add the seared sausage on top of the cabbage in the pot. Add the rest of the cabbage back to the pot, keeping the sausage in the middle. Cook on a low temp for about an hour and a half with the lid on. The sausage should remain whole the entire time. The dish is done when you can easily break apart the sausage with tongs or a spoon. When finished, break the sausage into small pieces.