Description
Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut recipe, perfect for a relaxed New Year's Day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces bacon, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 pounds sauerkraut, drained and rinsed (I prefer bagged sauerkraut)
- 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 apples, cored and diced
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 pounds pork western ribs or pork country ribs
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups Riesling or other dry white wine
Instructions
- Brown the bacon: Put the bacon in a cold fry pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, rendering the bacon fat and turning occasionally, until the bacon is browned and crispy, about ten minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon. Leave 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan and discard the rest.
- Prep and layer ingredients in the crock pot: While the bacon is browning: Drain and rinse the sauerkraut, and place in the bottom of the slow cooker crock in an even layer. Scrub the new potatoes and put them in a ring against the outside edge of the crock. Core and dice the apples, and put them in the middle of the potatoes. Sprinkle the brown sugar, thyme, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves into the crock. Sprinkle the pork with 3 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, then layer on top of the other ingredients in the pot. Put the browned bacon in the pot whenever it is ready; in my case it wound up on top of the apples.
- Saute the aromatics: When the bacon is done, add the diced onion and crushed garlic to the pan, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, scraping the browned bacon drippings into the onions, until the onion is starting to brown around the edges, about five minutes. (While the onion is cooking, continue with the layering the ingredients step if it is not done yet.) Add the wine to the pan and bring to a simmer. Scrape any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then pour the onion/garlic/wine mixture into the crock over the top of the pork.
- Slow cook the pork: Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high heat for 4 hours.
- Plate and serve: Remove the pork ribs to a plate. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, cut into quarters, and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and throw them away. Stir the ingredients left in the crock into the sauerkraut, then remove the sauerkraut to a serving platter using a slotted spoon. Ladle a cup or two of the liquid left in the crock over the sauerkraut, ribs and pork. Put the pork and potatoes on top of the platter of sauerkraut, and serve.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American