Pork and Sauerkraut for New Year's Day

Pork and Sauerkraut

Serve Pork & Sauerkraut on January 1st! According to Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, pork and sauerkraut will bring good luck to you and your family in the year ahead, if it's your first meal of the new year. Serve with a large bowl of mashed potatoes.

1 lean pork roast, about 4 to 5 lb.

2 large cans sauerkraut

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preparation -
Place the pork roast in a Dutch oven or a large, deep, heavy skillet. Add about 1 cup water plus a small amount of salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hours. Add the sauerkraut, applesauce and brown sugar. Cover and simmer for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours longer or until the roast is tender and falling apart.

It can also be roasted in the oven, in a covered roasting pan. Set the oven temperature to 350º and roast for about 2 hours. Add the sauerkraut and other ingredients, lower the oven temperature to about 300º, and roast for an additional 1 to 1-1/2 hours. This is also a good crockpot meal. Just add everything at once and cook on the low setting for about 6 or 7 hours.

Sauerkraut which is sold in cellophane bags in the fresh meat department of a grocery store is usually not quite as salty as canned sauerkraut. It can be used instead of canned sauerkraut.