Slow roasted pork, sauerkraut, and apples . . . a perfect fall meal.
Even if you are not a beer lover or beer fan, there is some great food that goes along with a Oktoberfest celebration. Of course there are lots of meals involving sausages and wursts of various kinds, but there are also lots of uses for things like pork and cabbage. Williams-Sonoma posted some great recipes a little over a week ago that concentrated on the Oktoberfest meals.
This recipe was one of their selections. I have to say that I never had Oktoberfest food like this nonetheless, it is never to late to start.
I was unable to find a decent looking cut of pork shoulder so I used some meaty ribs and a pork loin roast. The cooking time was about half what it is in the recipe as a result.
Pork Shoulder with Sauerkraut and Apples
1 boneless pork shoulder roast, about 4 to 5 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, halved and cored
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 pounds sauerkraut, squeezed dry
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
Lay the pork flat, boned side up, on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, trim away any large pockets of fat. Starting at the thinner end of the meat, roll up the pork and securely tie the roll at regular intervals with kitchen twine. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper.
In a fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the vegetable oil. Add the pork and cook, turning frequently, until it is well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter.
Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the onion, apples and thyme, and saute until the onion and apples are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the apple mixture to a bowl.
Pour off the fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the wine and de-glaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Cover the bottom of a large Dutch oven with the sauerkraut. Sprinkle the sauerkraut with the brown sugar and caraway seeds, if using. Place the pork on top of the sauerkraut and surround it with the apple mixture. Pour in the wine mixture. Cover, transfer to the heated oven and cook until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily, about 4 to 5 hours.
Transfer the pork to a carving board. Using a sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into slices about 1/2 inch thick, removing the twine from the pork as you slice. Place the sauerkraut on a large platter and top with the pork slices. Surround the pork with the apples and serve immediately.
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