For many families, pork and sauerkraut is a traditional New Year’s day meal. I can’t remember a New Year’s day without it. I make this dish once a year using a lean pork loin instead of a pork roast and add onions and apples to cut the saltiness of the kraut.
New Year's Day Pork and Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless pork loin (trimmed)
- 1 large sweet onion (sliced thin)
- 1 large apple (sliced)
- 2 pounds sauerkraut
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds
- 12 ounces beer
Directions
Set oven to 325 degrees. On top of the stove, brown all sides of the pork loin in a dutch oven. Top the pork with sliced onions, apples, sauerkraut and caraway or fennel seeds. Pour beer over the top. Cover and bake for about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for another 20-30 minutes. Serve with steamed potatoes and sliced apples.
Nutrition Note: With the sodium content of sauerkraut at 200 mg per 2 tablespoons, this is a dish you should probably limit to once a year. Try to find sauerkraut with only 3 ingredients; sauerkraut, water and salt. The one I purchased contained unnecessary preservatives. Although fermented vegetables, like sauerkraut, are gaining popularity due to their probiotic content, I prefer to get my healthful gut bacteria from lower sodium sources like kefir and yogurt.
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Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 