Braised Pork and Sauerkraut
At the beginning of spring, I like to use up my homemade sauerkraut, onions, garlic, and new potatoes from the previous year’s garden. Alongside a variety of pork products, this dish prepares me to plant all those new vegetables. It fills the house with a marvelous fragrance and fuels my ambitious garden endeavors.
8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds sauerkraut, divided
4 tablespoons duck fat (or extra virgin olive oil), divided
2 large or 4 small whole carrots
½ teaspoon juniper berries
1 red onion, peeled, cut in half with core in place
2 whole cloves
4 cloves garlic
2 small or 1 large bay leaves
1 smoked ham hock
1 quart chicken stock
½ bottle dry wine
1 pound new potatoes
2 to 4 thick slices bacon, cut into quarters
1 ¼ (or more) thick boneless pork chops
1 pound smoked sausage
Dijon or whole grain mustard for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain the sauerkraut and squeeze it dry by the fistfuls.
In a four-quart Dutch oven, spread two tablespoons of duck fat over the bottom. Place half of the sauerkraut on the duck fat. Place the ham hock in the center, surrounded by carrots, juniper berries, red onion, cloves, garlic, and bay leaves. Top with the remaining sauerkraut. Pour the chicken stock and wine over the top. Dot the top with the remaining duck fat. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven and bake for three hours.
Remove from the oven, then bury the potatoes in the sauerkraut. Top with the bacon, pork chops, and sausages. Place back in the oven and bake for twenty minutes uncovered. Turn the meat over and bake for twenty minutes longer.
Serve a portion of each meat, potatoes, and sauerkraut to each person. Garnish with mustard if desired.
Braised Pork and Sauerkraut
At the beginning of spring, I like to use up my homemade sauerkraut, onions, garlic, and new potatoes from the previous year’s garden. Alongside a variety of pork products, this dish prepares me to plant all those new vegetables. It fills the house with a marvelous fragrance and fuels my ambitious garden endeavors.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sauerkraut, divided
- 4 tablespoons duck fat (or extra virgin olive oil), divided
- 2 large or 4 small whole carrots
- ½ teaspoon juniper berries
- 1 red onion, peeled, cut in half with core in place
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 small or 1 large bay leaves
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 1 quart chicken stock
- ½ bottle dry wine
- 1 pound new potatoes
- 2 to 4 thick slices bacon, cut into quarters
- 1 ¼ (or more) thick boneless pork chops
- 1 pound smoked sausage
- Dijon or whole grain mustard for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain the sauerkraut and squeeze it dry by the fistfuls.
- In a four-quart Dutch oven, spread two tablespoons of duck fat over the bottom. Place half of the sauerkraut on the duck fat. Place the ham hock in the center, surrounded by carrots, juniper berries, red onion, cloves, garlic, and bay leaves. Top with the remaining sauerkraut. Pour the chicken stock and wine over the top. Dot the top with the remaining duck fat. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven and bake for three hours.
- Remove from the oven, then bury the potatoes in the sauerkraut. Top with the bacon, pork chops, and sausages. Place back in the oven and bake for twenty minutes uncovered. Turn the meat over and bake for twenty minutes longer.
- Serve a portion of each meat, potatoes, and sauerkraut to each person. Garnish with mustard if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
530Fat (grams)
33 gSat. Fat (grams)
11 gCarbs (grams)
26 gFiber (grams)
6 gNet carbs
20 gSugar (grams)
7 gProtein (grams)
24 gSodium (milligrams)
1548 mgCholesterol (grams)
93 mgThe information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.