Sauerkraut with Roasted Pork, Bacon and Apples

Sauerkraut is just so, so good! Especially if you pair it with some porky goodness. My dad, who had a wee bit of German in his ancestry, was an absolute proponent of this sour cabbage. My mom, being 100% Taiwanese, used to make a version of this dish using canned sauerkraut (the only version available in Taiwan back in the day) and cooked them with succulent pork ribs served over rice. After a recent trip to Istria in Northern Croatia where Gil, Elaine and I had the most amazing homemade sauerkraut with sausage, I've come up with this version incorporating those flavors along with mom's iteration, including steamed rice as the side.

INGREDIENTS:

2 slices bacon, cut into thin slices

4 lbs. pork shoulder, butt or boneless country ribs

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. caraway seeds

1 lb. sauerkraut, drained & squeezed dry

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 apple (gala or other sweet apple), peeled, cored and chopped

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.

2. Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat; add the caraway seeds. Stir constantly for 30 seconds or until lightly toasted and aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Season the pork on all sides with 1 tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. 

4. Place 2 tbsp. of olive oil to a large cast iron pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the sliced bacon and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1-2 minutes until lightly browned; remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

5. In the same pan, add the pork to the drippings and sear until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side; remove the pork from the pan and set aside.

6. Add the drained sauerkraut, chopped onion, minced garlic and apples to the drippings in the pan (if on the dry side, add a little extra olive oil). Saute, stirring frequently, until the sauerkraut mixture just starts to brown, about 4-5 minutes. 

7. Add 1 cup of water, 2 tbsp. brown sugar, toasted caraway seeds and bay leaf to the pan and stir to combine. 

8. Add the reserved bacon and browned pork back to the pan, cover with a lid and place into the preheated oven.

9. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the pork is tender.