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Slow Cooker Pork And Sauerkraut – easy to make, nutritious, comfort meal, perfect for your holiday table or to cook on a snowy winter day.
This Bulgarian style pork and sauerkraut is a traditional dish made with pork (I used pork shoulder), chopped sauerkraut, salt, pepper, paprika, oil and bay leaf. Cooked in the slow cooker until the pork is tender and sauerkraut melts in your mouth.
As a child I was not a huge fan of the dish, because of the smell of fermented cabbage. Now I enjoy making and eating this delicious Slow Cooker Pork And Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut contains natural probiotics and is rich in vitamins.
What is sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage.
During the fermentation process, probiotics, or ‘live bacteria’, are produced, and these probiotics are what give sauerkraut its amazing health benefits.
Sauerkraut is rich in fiber and contains vitamins C and K, potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
What is pork and sauerkraut?
You may have heard of this dish before. It is known as a German dish, cooked and served on New Years Day and also represents good luck.
Well it is also popular in my home country Bulgaria. It is mostly considered a winter dish. Most people even make their own fermented cabbage for the winter.
Cooked using different methods like on the stove top, in the oven or slow cooked, this is the perfect dish to make for a family gathering.
What ingredients do I need to make pork and sauerkraut in the slow cooker?
- pork meat
- sauerkraut
- vegetable oil
- salt
- black pepper
- paprika
- bay leaf
What cut of pork is best for pork and sauerkraut?
I prefer to use pork butt (shoulder) meat with sauerkraut in the oven, because they taste great paired together.
Other cuts of meat could be also used. Pork tenderloin or pork loin pair well with sauerkraut, but they are a lot easier to overcook and dry out.
How to make Slow Cooker Pork And Sauerkraut?
I usually make this recipe with pork butt (shoulder) meat. You can either cook one whole big piece of meat or cut it into pieces.
Season the pork with salt and pepper. We don’t need a lot of salt, since the sauerkraut is pretty salty and it will add from its saltines to the meat.
Chop the cabbage. I personally prefer it finely chopped, but you can do it the way you prefer.
Add 1/2 of the sauerkraut to the slow cooker. Top with the meat. Add the remaining sauerkraut. Add paprika and Bay leave.
Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8.
How do you cook pork and sauerkraut on the stove?
Cut meat into smaller pieces. Season the meat. Sear for 1-2 minutes per side.
Place sauerkraut in a pot. Add the meat, oil, paprika and bay leaf. Add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on medium-low, stirring every 15 minutes until cooked. It usually takes 1 to 1.5 hours.
How long does pork and sauerkraut take to cook?
Depending on the amount of meat and sauerkraut, the cooking method and pot used, cooking time for this Pork and Sauerkraut varies.
Cook in a slow cooker for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Cook longer if the meat is not fully cooked.
How do you cook pork and sauerkraut in the oven?
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cut meat into smaller pieces. Season the meat. Sear for 1-2 minutes per side.
Place sauerkraut in a oven safe dish.. Add the meat, oil, paprika and bay leaf. Add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 1 hour to 1.5 hours.
Why is pork and sauerkraut good luck?
Pork And Sauerkraut is popular dish in Germany and it is also considered good luck. Served on New Years Eve, It is believed that eating Sauerkraut will bring blessings and wealth for the new year. Before the meal, those seated at the table wish each other as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of Sauerkraut. The pig is also a symbol for good luck and well-being.
Do you rinse sauerkraut before cooking.
Since sauerkraut is pretty salty and it may also have some excess salt over it, I like to quickly rinse it under cold water before cooking. This is just my personal preference.
Some people soak the sauerkraut in water for hours, to make it less salty. I don’t usually do it, because it looses its unique flavor and taste.
Can I freeze leftover sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut freezes well, if frozen uncooked. You you have some leftover cooked pork and sauerkraut, you can still freeze it in zip lock bags for up to a month.
Similar Recipes:
Slow Cooker Pork And Sauerkraut
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb pork butt (shoulder)
- 1 1/2 lb sauerkraut
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Season the pork with salt and pepper. We don’t need a lot of salt, since the sauerkraut is pretty salty and it will add from its saltines to the meat.
- Chop the cabbage. I personally prefer it finely chopped, but you can do it the way you prefer.
- Add 1/2 of the sauerkraut to the slow cooker. Top with the meat. Add the remaining sauerkraut. Add paprika and Bay leave. Add the oil (optional).
- Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Polish Lady here! This recipe is basically fool proof! Don’t overthink it!
Pork and Kraut is a dish of love and comfort. Some kraut is swimming in juices and some are packed with “just enough” liquid. I don’t like to drown the roast so I’ll keep enough liquid to at most filling 1/2 an inch at the bottom of the crock pot.
Layer kraut, then pork, then kraut like the recipe says. If tossing in 1/2 an apple make sure to skin and core and thunk it in first – discard once roast is done.
Thank you for this recipe!
Great! Thanks for your comment!
You get 10 servings with only 1-1/2 lbs. of pork?
10 small servings.