Pork Roast and Sauerkraut -- The Food That Continues, Tuesday After Tuesday

The sambar gets made because Tuesday needs dinner, and so does everything else that keeps a household in motion. On the weeks I step out of my usual rhythm — when the wet grinder sits quiet and the spice box stays closed — I reach for something that asks the same steady thing of me: low heat, a little patience, and the willingness to let the pot do its work. Pork Roast and Sauerkraut is that kind of recipe. It braises slowly, fills the kitchen with a savory, grounding warmth, and lands on the table already enough. No milestone required.

Pork Roast and Sauerkraut

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours | Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in pork shoulder roast (or boneless pork loin roast)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil or lard
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs sauerkraut, drained (reserve 1/4 cup brine)
• 1 medium apple, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the pork roast dry with paper towels and rub it all over with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Sear the pork. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sear without moving it for 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep golden-brown crust forms on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Soften the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Build the braise. Add the drained sauerkraut, apple slices, caraway seeds, brown sugar, chicken broth, reserved sauerkraut brine, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Roast low and slow. Nestle the seared pork roast on top of the sauerkraut mixture. The liquid should come up about one-third of the way up the roast. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and registers 195°F internally for a shoulder roast (or 145°F for a loin roast).
6. Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let the pork rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Slice or pull the pork and serve directly over the sauerkraut and braising liquid. Good with boiled or mashed potatoes on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 370 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 820mg