“Choucroute is a local dish that everybody kind of puts their own spin on,” says Eric Joppie, culinary director at Olympia Provisions in Portland, Oregon. “I've seen big pieces of salt pork, big pieces of smoked bacon, everything from different types of sausages to also having whole pieces of hocks and shanks. I've even seen some recipes that contain duck confit or goose fat.”
In other words, according to Eric, choucroute garnie is a flexible, elastic, and ultimately personal dish.