Beer Braised Sausages and Cabbage for a Crowd

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh sauerkraut or shaved fresh cabbage (or a combination)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch thick pieces
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns
• 8 juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 1 head garlic, split in half
• 1 large or 2 small ham hocks, skin scored
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups Polish or German lager
• 1 ½ pounds small red new potatoes, halved if large
• 2 ½ pounds of your favorite mixed sausages, such as garlic sausage, kielbasa, smoked andouille, bratwurst or weisswurst
• Salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• Creole, Whole Grain, or Dijon Mustard or Creole Mustard Sauce for serving