I am of German heritage, so a recipe like this Pork and Sauerkraut is something I’d see on holiday tables and at family gatherings growing up. In fact, in Germany, eating pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day is a common tradition believed to bring good luck. So it makes sense to me that eating it throughout the year will only increase my good fortune, right?
Making pork & sauerkraut in the slow cooker is my new favorite method, since it results in the most tender and delicious shredded pork that gets infused with all those delicious briny flavors of the kraut.
This recipe was created in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board.
Recipe Highlights
- Tender and flavorful: Slow cooking the pork shoulder means you get super tender, fall-apart pieces of pork that take on a delicious flavor from being cooked with sauerkraut and apple.
- Quick to prep: There is very little prep involved: sear the pork in a pan, then add it to the crockpot with the other ingredients, then let it cook low and slow for 8 to 10 hours.
- High protein, low carb dinner: Every serving provides 25 grams of protein with a modest 11 grams of carbohydrate, making this dinner an easy one to fit in a variety of eating patterns. If you need more carbs, we suggest serving it alongside roasted potatoes or over mashed potatoes.
- Get extras that freeze well: You get a lot of food from one recipe, which I always appreciate, since I love having leftovers to reheat for second (and third) meals. The leftovers also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Ingredient Notes For Easy Pork & Sauerkraut
This isn’t a full list of the ingredients you’ll need, but rather some notes about why I chose certain ingredients and variations you can use.
- pork – I think a pork shoulder roast is the perfect cut of meat for this recipe. You will find pork shoulder labeled as picnic shoulder, pork butt, or Boston butt.
- apple – use any type of apple you have on hand. Some that I like for this recipe are Fuji, Honeycrisp, Jonathan, and Granny Smith apples
- sauerkraut – use any favorite jarred or canned sauerkraut, or you can use homemade. I prefer fresh sauerkraut that is sold in the refrigerated section, since it usually contains more probiotics. Some of my go-to brands are Wildbrine, Bubbies, and Flanagan Farm organic kraut (sold in a bag).
Tips For Cooking Pork In the Slow Cooker
Pork is such a versatile protein that can be cooked in a variety of ways, from the stovetop to the oven to the grill. When it comes to cooking pork in the crockpot, the cut matters in order to get the juicy and tender pork. The best cuts of pork for slow cooking are those that contain more fat and tougher proteins, which benefit from the long and low heat cooking. Those include:
- Pork shoulder roast (pork butt, picnic shoulder, or Boston butt)
- Bone-in pork blade chops
- Pork sirloin chops
Another thing to keep in mind is that moisture is your friend when cooking pork in the slow cooker. Slow cooker pork recipes usually include chicken broth or another cooking liquid, or plenty of liquid-producing vegetables, such as onions. In this recipe, the ample amount of sauerkraut (plus the liquid from the jar of sauerkraut) is enough to help tenderize the pork and keep it moist throughout the long cooking time.
Thanks To Minnesota Pork
I want to extend a thank you to the Minnesota Pork Board, which has sponsored many of our healthy and best pork recipes, allowing us to create delicious and nutritious free recipes that anyone can make at home. We love developing new recipes with pork because it is
- an excellent source of protein. One 4-ounce serving of pork roast provides 25 grams of protein, which is an important macronutrient you need for tissue and muscle growth and maintenance, as well as forming antibodies that fight off infection.
- a great source of B vitamins, including thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. These are important vitamins for the proper functioning of cells and metabolism, converting food into energy.
- full of important minerals, including zinc (important for DNA production and immunity) and iron (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to your body’s tissues).
- naturally low in sodium and a good source of potassium, two nutrients that, together, can help regulate blood pressure.
- an affordable addition to any healthy meal plan, providing high-quality protein without breaking the budget.
Storing And Freezing Leftovers
Store leftovers of the pork and sauerkraut mixture together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer store, freeze the pork and sauerkraut in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
How To Serve
Since this recipe taps into Eastern European flavors, I love to serve it with any type of potato dish. One of my favorites is easy oven-roasted baby potatoes. It’s also good over mashed potatoes and crispy Parmesan-roasted potatoes.
For something green on the plate, I’ll add some roasted broccoli, cooked asparagus, or a fresh side salad.
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Crockpot Pork And Sauerkraut Recipe
This simple method for cooking pork and sauerkraut in the crockpot turns out the most tender and juicy pork that gets infused with tangy, briny, balanced flavors from the kraut, onion, and apple. A must-make for all sauerkraut lovers.
Ingredients
- 1 pork shoulder roast (2 ½-3 lbs)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large apple, any variety, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 24-ounce jar sauerkraut (or use 2 14-ounce cans)
- Optional for garnish: fresh thyme
Instructions
- Using paper towels, pat the pork shoulder roast dry. Then season it on all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, sear the pork for 2-3 minutes per side until all sides are browned. (TIP: If you’re short on time, you can skip this searing step and don’t use any oil.)
- In the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, place the sliced onion and diced apple.
- Place pork roast over top of the onion and apple. Top with minced garlic.
- Pour the sauerkraut and any liquid from the jar over top of and all around the roast.
- Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 8-10 hours, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.
- Transfer the pork to a large rimmed baking sheet and pull or slice the pork into pieces, removing any large chunks of fat. Return the pork pieces to the slow cooker and toss with the sauerkraut.
- Serve as is, or alongside roasted baby potatoes, garnished with fresh thyme.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 217
- Fat: 8 g
- (Sat Fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 753 mg
- Carbohydrate: 11 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 4 g)
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 83 mg
Dietary
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! To make this sauerkraut and pork recipe in an Instant Pot:
1. Pat the pork roast dry with paper towels and season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Select the ‘Saute’ function on the Instant Pot. When the pot is hot, add the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, place pork roast and cook until it is browned on one side, 2-3 minutes. Flip over and brown the other side. Press ‘Cancel’ and turn the roast over again.
3. Add the onion, apple, sauerkraut, garlic, and 1 cup water. Stir, as best you can, to combine.
4. Lock the lid into place and cook at high pressure for 50-75 minutes (aim for 25 minutes per pound). When the cooking time is up, allow for 5 minutes of natural pressure release before flipping the vent valve to ‘venting’ to release any residual pressure.
5. Remove the roast to a baking sheet. Using two forks, shred the pork into large chunks and remove any big pieces of fat.
6. Stir the pork back into the sauerkraut mixture in the Instant Pot.
Eating pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day is a German tradition believed to bring good luck. It is also a common tradition in Pennsylvania, where there is a large population of people with German and Dutch heritage. Some say, for the best good fortune, it should be eaten right as the clock strikes midnight heading into New Year’s Day.
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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