The Pork and Sauerkraut Thing

 

(Not my photo...mine was messier)

Since residing in PA for a good hunk of time, I'm trying to be more "Pennsylvanian."  I buy wine from Pennsylvania wineries.  (Too many at local festivals and farmers markets.)  I often shop at our local grocery.  We visit our local bar/grille once a month.  I go to classes (when I can) at our local community center.  We wouldn't miss the annual Halloween parade.  You get the idea.

So when I heard pork and sauerkraut was a New Year's Day thing in PA, I wanted to give it a go.  According to Google's AI: "The pork and sauerkraut tradition is a New Year's Day custom, especially strong in Pennsylvania Dutch and German-American communities, symbolizing good luck, wealth, and forward progress for the new year. Pork represents wealth and moving forward (as pigs root forward), while sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) symbolizes long life, wealth (green like money), and good health, with the meal often served with potatoes for added fortune."  I'm all for good luck, wealth and progress!

I went online to find an easy recipe for the crock pot.  It called for :   4 pounds boneless pork loin, 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced, 32-ounce jar sauerkraut with sauerkraut juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar , 1 Macintosh apple, peeled, cored and chopped (or Granny Smith apples), salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp caraway seeds (optional; I opted not)

My first challenge was finding the right size pork loin.  ShopRite had HUGE ones (9 lbs or more) and then smaller ones (just over two pounds).  I could have (should have) had the butcher cut down a larger one for me and then freeze the remains, but I didn't.  (I don't think there was a butcher in the store at the time we were there.)  So instead I ended up buying 2 loins of just over 2 pounds each.  In hindsight, I should have gone with one smaller sized loin and then halved the recipe, but...

New Year's morning, I (reluctantly) got out of bed and went to prep dinner ten hours in advance.  I shoved the pork (which I had seasoned) into the pot with the onion and apple slices.  Added the vinegar and sauerkraut and turned it on.  Let me say, the pot was so full that it was hard to get the lid on tight.  (I actually didn't and my husband told me so when he got up, after he fixed it.)

I was afraid the house might smell of sauerkraut, but it really didn't, even when I took off the lid and attempted to stir the pot a bit.  (That was impossible to do since it was so full.)  I went about my day.  (Including watching Wake up Dead Man, which was quite good, although the original Knives Out is still my favorite.)

Around 6 I turned off the pot and tried to put the "mess" (because that is what it was) on a platter.  It was difficult because the pork just fell apart, which it's supposed to do and I expected it.  I just piled the meat and sauerkraut (along with some bits of onion) on the platter and crossed my fingers that it was good.

It was...meh.  I like pork.  Sauerkraut is okay.  The combination was...lacking?  I did serve it with mashed potatoes (as I had read some do).  Maybe I should have just thrown some potatoes in the pot?  (Other recipes I looked up suggested that.)  Of course there was no room for that, but...

I feel like I'm missing something?  Should I have added something else?  Does anyone out there enjoy this?  Have suggestions?  I've got a LOT of left overs!  (Again, Bfth you should have just halved the recipe, but no!)  With just two of us, it's going to be around for a while.  Do I reheat and add something?  Can I use the pork (sans sauerkraut) for sandwiches?  Suggestions please!  I'm not feeling very lucky!  (I could certainly use some along with the wealth!) Give a Pennsylvania transplant some advice here!  

Thanks in advance and hoping everyone, whether you had pork and sauerkraut on the 1st or not, a year of good luck!


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