German Pork and Sauerkraut Recipe

Start The New Year With
German Pork And Sauerkraut

Thought to symbolize progress and prosperity, pork and sauerkraut is a New Year’s Day tradition throughout the world. Since pigs move forward while foraging for food, serving pork is thought to bring progress for the New Year. Since the color of cabbage resembles currency, serving cabbage dishes like sauerkraut is thought to bring prosperity.

Why not bring progress and prosperity to your family with our German pork and sauerkraut recipe this New Year’s Day!

This pork loin is baked in a bed of sauerkraut to succulent perfection. After tasting this dish, no one would believe how easy it is to prepare. Juniper berries and caraway seeds impart marvelous flavor that will have your guests coming back for more.

We used a five and three-quarter pound pork loin for our recipe and sliced it into 16 generous pieces, which is plenty for refilling plates. Four pounds of sauerkraut is a generous amount, too — especially when served with creamy mashed potatoes.

Spice Pouch Ingredients: Juniper Berries, Caraway Seeds, Allspice, Peppercorns,
And A Bay Leaf

German Pork and Sauerkraut

• 5.75 lbs boneless pork loin
• 1 large onion, chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 lbs sauerkraut
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 12 juniper berries
• 12 black peppercorns
• 3 whole allspice berries
• ½ tsp caraway seeds
• 1 bay leaf

Yield: serves 10.

Preheat the oven to 275°.

Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or sauté pan and sauté the onion until translucent. Turn off the heat and remove the onion from the oil with a slotted spoon. Purée the onion in a food processor and set it aside.

Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the pork loin. In the same dutch oven or sauté pan, sear each side of the pork over medium to high heat until brown. (Depending on the size of your dutch oven or pan, you may find it easier to cut the loin in half and brown each half separately.)

Remove the pork from the oil. Drain and discard the olive oil.

This Seared Pork Loin And Sauerkraut
Is Ready For The Oven

Cut a piece of cheesecloth into a rectangle and fold it over twice to form a dense mesh. Place the spices in the center of the cheesecloth and tie opposite ends of the cloth together to form a pouch for the spices.

Place the sauerkraut in the bottom of a dutch oven or covered roasting pan. Add the onion purée and wine. Stir to distribute the onion and wine throughout the sauerkraut.

Place the pork on top of the sauerkraut (fatty side up). Submerge the spice pouch in the sauerkraut and cover with a lid.

Bake at 275° for four hours. While baking, baste the pork once or twice and move the spice pouch once or twice to distribute the spices evenly.

Remove the pork and sauerkraut from the oven. Place the pork on a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Spoon the sauerkraut and its juices into a deep serving platter. Slice the pork loin and arrange it over the sauerkraut. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Glückliches neues Jahr!

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