Place sausage in a large pot with 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, drain and rinse sauerkraut. Place sauerkraut, barley, and caraway seeds in another large pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
Peel and cube potatoes. To prevent your peeled, cubed potatoes from turning brown, place them in cold water until you’re ready to use them; then, drain just before using.
After 1 hour, remove sausage from water, set aside, and let cool. In that same water, boil the potatoes until tender.
When cooled, slice cooked sausage into bite-sized chunks and add to sauerkraut. Continue simmering.
When potatoes are tender, add to sausage and sauerkraut. Salt and pepper to taste.