Best Ever Pork Roast and Sauerkraut
Ring in the New Year with THE BEST Pork and Sauerkraut recipe! Juicy and packed with so much flavor! Mom’s recipe perfected!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2-3 hours
- Total Time: 2.5-3 .5 hours
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Pork
- Method: Slow roasting
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
- 4 pound pork loin roast – boneless and at room temperature (this is important!) – this should take about 20-30 minutes from being in the fridge
- 2 pounds sauerkraut (I do not rinse mine)
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds *note – you can omit this if you hate caraway seeds but for me it makes the dish
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 peeled apple (gala or any sweet apple), chopped * (see note) *optional
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar *add less if you like it more bitter/sauerkraut tangy. see note
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup water *optional
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F, rack in the middle. Pat the pork dry and sprinkle the entire roast with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. When the olive oil starts to simmer carefully place the pork roast in. Sear on all sides until golden brown – ~5-8 minutes per side.
- In a lidded 6qrt Dutch Oven place the sauerkraut all over the bottom. Sprinkle over the caraway seeds, onions, apples and brown sugar. Place the seared pork roast on top nestling it in the sauerkraut. If you’ve drained yours sauerkraut, add the water. If you did not you do not need the water. You want at least a cup of liquid in the pot.
- Cover tightly with a lid and bake for about 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads between 145F-150F. While it’s cooking check the pot to ensure that it’s not drying out. If needed, add more water. I have never had to but I always add at least a cup of liquid. Remove from the oven once the thermometer reads 145F-150F. Carefully remove the roast from the pan and place on a cutting board covering loosely with foil.
- Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Adding Apples:
I add the apple to help curb the bitterness of the kraut plus it adds such an incredible depth of flavor to the kraut! It’s a must-try in my book! If you like it more bitter; omit
Adding Brown Sugar
Adding sugar is completely optional as it to how bitter/sour you like your kraut. If your Kraut is bitter, add the full amount of sugar. Start with a 1/4 cup if desired.
Prevent it from drying out
You need to ensure that your pot has a tight seal. If it does not, add foil to cover the pot and then the lid. If you do not have a lid, ensure that the foil is fitted snugly.