Best 5 Best Ever Pork Sauerkraut Recipes

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Pork and sauerkraut is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. The combination of tender pork, tangy sauerkraut, and aromatic spices creates a dish that is both comforting and satisfying. This article offers three variations on this classic recipe, so you can find the perfect one to suit your taste. The first recipe is a traditional German pork and sauerkraut dish that is made with a variety of spices, including juniper berries, bay leaves, and caraway seeds. The second recipe is a lighter version of the dish that is made with chicken instead of pork. The third recipe is a vegetarian version of the dish that is made with tofu instead of meat. All three recipes are easy to follow and can be made in a single pot, making them a great option for a weeknight meal.

This article provides detailed instructions for each recipe, along with helpful tips and tricks for achieving the best results. You will also find a list of all the ingredients that you will need, as well as a nutritional breakdown of each recipe. Whether you are a fan of traditional German cuisine or you are looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy pork and sauerkraut, this article is sure to have a recipe that you will love.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

"BEST EVER" PORK & SAUERKRAUT



In my region, serving pork & sauerkraut on New Year's Day is a tradition, and for most of us, a must! This is how I have been making pork & sauerkraut for 20 years, and I always get told "mine" is the best. Everyone always asks me what my secret it. It is so easy; not sure why it turns out so great this way, but it does! I know...

Provided by Michelle Koletar/Mertz

Categories     Pork

Number Of Ingredients 4

4-5 lb pork roast (can be any kind)
2 large cans silverfloss sauerkraut, undrained
1 can(s) beer
6-10 polska kielbasa sausage links

Steps:

  • 1. Ready for this difficult task? Ha. Trim pork of most fat, and season with fresh ground pepper. Place in crockpot.
  • 2. Add sauerkraut and beer. Cook on LOW for about 6 hours. Add kielbasa links and cook for another 2/3 hours. I usually cook my pork & kraut overnight, then add the kielbasa in the morning. The pork will fall apart & become part of the kraut, which gives it wonderful flavor. That's it!!!
  • 3. You can also roast a separate pork in a pan, if you want more to slice rather than just mixed w/ the kraut. Serve w/ mashed potatoes, corn, applesauce, crusty bread, & some horseradish on the side. YUMMY!!!

PORK AND SAUERKRAUT



Pork and Sauerkraut image

Eating sauerkraut on New Year's is an old Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, said to bring good luck. The traditional meal consists of pork and sauerkraut served together, with sauerkraut representing luck and the pig representing rooting into the New Year. It's a feel-good and flavorsome ritual and it may be just what you need to start the New Year. Serve with mashed potatoes or dumplings.

Provided by Auntie M

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Pork

Time 3h25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 (3 pound) pork roast
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 (14.5 ounce) cans sauerkraut, or to taste
3 cups water, or more as needed
1 onion, chopped
1 apple - peeled, cored, and finely chopped

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Place pork roast in a large roasting pan. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix sauerkraut, water, onion, and apple together in a large bowl. Pour sauerkraut mixture over roast.
  • Bake roast in the preheated oven until heated through, about 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Continue to cook roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), adding water if sauerkraut mixture looks dry, about 2 hours more.
  • Remove roast from oven and allow to rest in a warm area before slicing, about 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 243.8 calories, Carbohydrate 12.5 g, Cholesterol 79.6 mg, Fat 9 g, Fiber 4.8 g, Protein 28 g, SaturatedFat 2.9 g, Sodium 971.5 mg, Sugar 6.2 g

EMERIL'S NEVER ENOUGH PORK BEER-BRAISED SAUERKRAUT



Emeril's Never Enough Pork Beer-Braised Sauerkraut image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h20m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 pounds fresh or jarred sauerkraut
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or duck, chicken, or goose fat
1/4 pound apple-cured bacon, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
8 juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 head garlic, split in 1/2 crosswise
2 ham hocks, scored
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups dark or amber beer (recommended: Abita Amber)
1 pound andouille or garlic sausage, kielbasa, or knockwurst, cut into 3-inch lengths
1 pound bratwurst or veal sausage, cut into 3-inch lengths
4 thin boneless smoked pork chops (or 8 very small boneless smoked pork chops)
Creole, whole-grain, or Dijon mustard, for serving

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Place the sauerkraut in a colander and rinse briefly to remove some of the salt from the brine-don't rinse it too much, or you will lose a lot of the flavor. (Alternatively, if the sauerkraut is not excessively salty, use as is.) Press to release most of the excess liquid and set aside. In a large nonreactive skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until most of the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and continue to cook until they are soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon-onion mixture to a nonreactive roasting pan or large ovenproof Dutch oven. Add the drained sauerkraut and toss to combine. Using a small piece of cheesecloth, make a bouquet garni with the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, and garlic and place in the baking dish. Add the ham hocks, chicken stock, and beer and stir to combine. Cover the casserole and bake, undisturbed, until ham hocks are mostly tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over high heat and brown the sausages on both sides. Set aside. Brown the pork chops and set aside.
  • When the hocks are mostly tender, remove the casserole from the oven. Place the sausages on top of the sauerkraut. If the liquid has reduced to less than 2/3, add a bit more water. Cover the casserole and return it to the oven. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the sausages are tender and heated through. Add the pork chops and press them into the sauerkraut. Cover and return to the oven and cook until pork chops are heated through and tender, about 30 minutes longer. Remove the casserole from the oven and discard the bouquet garni. Serve immediately, with each person receiving some of each of the sausages, part of a hock, part of a pork chop and some of the sauerkraut. Pass the mustard at the table.

PORK LOIN, SAUERKRAUT AND DUMPLINGS



Pork Loin, Sauerkraut and Dumplings image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h45m

Yield 10 to 12 dumplings

Number Of Ingredients 21

One 3-pound pork loin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
One 3-pound pork loin
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup vermouth
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 cups instant potato flakes
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2 to 3 cups flour, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 jars sauerkraut with caraway seeds
1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder or 1/2 cup liquid beef bouillon, or to taste
2 tablespoons vermouth
Caraway seeds
Salt and pepper

Steps:

  • For the pork loin, pressure cooker method:
  • In a pressure cooker set on high heat, brown the pork in the oil on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Add about 6 cups water or broth so there is about 1 1/2 inches. For larger roasts, add 1/2-inch more liquid per pound. Pressure cook until the pork is extremely tender and falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (This is important to the dish.) Remove the meat from the pot and reserve the juices.
  • For the pork loin, oven method:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Pierce the pork with a knife and insert the slices of garlic different parts of the roast. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron pot over high heat. Sear the pork until brown. Add the beef broth and vermouth (this will also deglaze the pan) and cover the pot with a lid. Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until the pork is pink and juicy inside but not dry and gray, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Be sure to periodically check your roast, as you want the roast to be pink and juicy inside, not dry and gray. Remove the meat from the pot and reserve the juices.
  • Combine the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pan juices to thicken the juices so they will stick to the pork and dumplings. (However, Grandma and Grandpa preferred the traditional thinner juice.)
  • For the potato dumplings:
  • While the meat is cooking, prepare the dumplings. Place a pot of water to boil.
  • Place the potato flakes in a large bowl. Place the milk, butter and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Pour the potato mixture over the potato flakes and whip with a fork until smooth. Let cool.
  • Add the eggs to the potatoes and mix well. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until a dough forms, adding more flour if needed.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured bread board and knead in more flour until the dough is stiff and doesn't stick to your hands. Break off small pieces and form into flat balls, drop into rapidly boiling water. Bring back to a boil and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Cut 1 and if it isn't sticky inside, they are done.
  • For the sauerkraut:
  • Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the onion and cook until transparent. Add the sauerkraut, vermouth, beef bouillon to taste, caraway seeds to taste, salt (not much) and pepper. Simmer until the flavors meld, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve along side the pork.
  • For serving:
  • This was usually done homestyle. Place some pork, a dumpling (cut into hearty, bit-size pieces) and some sauerkraut on a plate. Then pass and spoon or drizzle some of the reserved meat juices over the pork and dumplings--this ties everything all together and gives you a forkful of flavor in each bite.
  • There you have it: hearty, stick-to-your-ribs pork, dumplings and sauerkraut--an excellent dish on a cold, frosty night!

PORK ROAST AND SAUERKRAUT



Pork Roast and Sauerkraut image

My family which is mostly German-Irish ate the same meal for New Year's every year of my life. It consisted of pork roast, sauerkraut, kielbasa and mashed potatoes. We ate the pork (pork roast and kielbasa) because pigs are a symbol of progress. Pigs push forward, rooting themselves in the ground before moving, and we need to move into the New Year in the same way. We eat sauerkraut, as it's believed it will bring blessings and wealth for the new year. It also reminds us that with the good comes the bitter as well. We eat potatoes to remind us that even as poor men we still had potatoes to eat.

Provided by Dianna Jacobs-Fresh

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     German

Time 6h40m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 tablespoon bacon drippings
1 cup minced onion
1 large red apple, diced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 pounds sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 pound kielbasa sausage, cut into 3-inch pieces

Steps:

  • Heat bacon drippings in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot drippings until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir diced apple and caraway seeds with the onion and cook until apple is just tender, about 3 minutes more. Add sauerkraut and stir.
  • Stir white wine, chicken stock, and brown sugar together in a bowl; pour over the sauerkraut mixture.
  • Put pork roast into the bottom of the crock of your slow cooker. Pour sauerkraut mixture over the pork.
  • Cook on Low until the pork easily falls apart when pulled with a fork, 6 to 8 hours; add kielbasa sausage pieces and continue to cook until the sausage is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 406.4 calories, Carbohydrate 15.9 g, Cholesterol 91.2 mg, Fat 24.9 g, Fiber 4.1 g, Protein 26.6 g, SaturatedFat 8.7 g, Sodium 1341.2 mg, Sugar 9.8 g

Tips:

  • Choose the right pork. A fatty cut of pork, such as pork shoulder or pork butt, will yield the best results. These cuts have a lot of connective tissue that will break down during the cooking process, making the meat tender and flavorful.
  • Brown the pork before braising. Browning the pork in a hot skillet before braising it will add flavor and color to the dish.
  • Use a good quality sauerkraut. Look for sauerkraut that is made with fresh cabbage and has a tangy, sour flavor. Avoid sauerkraut that is made with vinegar, as it will be too acidic.
  • Add some aromatics to the pot. Aromatics, such as onions, garlic, and carrots, will add flavor to the dish. You can also add herbs, such as bay leaves and thyme.
  • Cook the pork sauerkraut until the meat is tender. The pork should be cooked until it is fall-apart tender. This will take about 2-3 hours.
  • Serve the pork sauerkraut with your favorite sides. Pork sauerkraut is traditionally served with mashed potatoes, dumplings, or spaetzle. You can also serve it with a side of bread or rice.

Conclusion:

Pork sauerkraut is a classic dish that is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. With its tender meat, tangy sauerkraut, and flavorful sauce, pork sauerkraut is a dish that everyone will love. So next time you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give pork sauerkraut a try.

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