Roast Pork with Potatoes and Sauerkraut

Makes 6 servings or more

I read that pork is supposed to go up in price soon, however so far, I’ve found that here in our valley it’s been extremely reasonably priced.  So, I couldn’t resist and I bought another Boston butt pork shoulder roast (bone in). BRRR– at this time of the year I start thinking about warm sauerkraut.  I sure do enjoy it on cold days and you can always improvise a bit and make a yummy Reuben sandwich later with the left over sauerkraut and pork.  So, here’s the way I cooked this dish.

Ingredients:

2 Tblsp. minced garlic (fresh is better)

2 Tblsp. minced fresh sage leaves (fresh is definitely better but you can use 2 tsp. dried sage if fresh is not within your realm)

1/4  Tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 Tsp. dill weed

A splash of white vermouth

S&P to taste

1 package Boar’s Head sauerkraut not drained—you can use canned, but I happen to like this brand.

S&P to taste

2-3 medium sized peeled baking potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tblsp olive oil

1 (3-4 pound) pork loin, bone in, or 1 (2-3) boneless roast

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, fresh sage, and S&P.
3. Place potatoes and sauerkraut in a Pam sprayed oven proof dish large enough to hold the pork as well. Toss the potato/sauerkraut mixture with the fennel, dill, S&P, a tad of the sage leaf mixture and vermouth. Place the dish in the 425 degree oven while you prepare the pork.
4. With a thin-bladed knife make slits all over the pork and then, with YOUR FINGERS, insert most of the remaining garlic-sage mixture.
5. Take the hot dish with the potato/sauerkraut mixture out of the oven and nestle pork into the mixture.  Pour the olive oil over the roast and then spread the rest of the garlic-sage mixture over the roast.
6. Place roast nestled in the potato/sauerkraut mixture in the 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
7. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and remove dish from the oven; gently with tongs remove the pork roast to a platter; stir the potato/ sauerkraut mixture in the dish because some of it may be sticking to the bottom; and replace roast nestled in the potato/sauerkraut mixture. You can pour a little more olive oil on top of roast if it looks a bit dry or if there are pan juices, baste the pork with them.
8. Replace roast dish in the 325 degree oven and continue to cook for about 3/4 hour more.  Start checking the meat by sticking an instant-read thermometer.  It should register 145 to 150 degree F when done.  Don’t let the roast over cook. Pork tends to dry out rapidly.
9. When you think that the pork is just about done, take the roast out and place on a warm platter.  Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
10. In the meantime look at your potato/sauerkraut mixture and test to see if everything is done. I bet it will be If not, let it roast a bit more.
11. If you wish a richer or more unique taste, you might try adding at the beginning of this recipe some raw bacon slivers and maybe some caraway seeds.  I haven’t tried this myself, however, my mind always likes to expand when cooking—and I hope that I am leading my readers to doing this themselves.  As always I am always open to comments or suggestions.
12. Lastly, once again, thank you everyone for giving me the encouragements and compliments for these columns I am writing.  You all have made my day if not my year.  Additionally, I want

to thank everyone at the Weekly Sun for their fabulous support.  I hope that all my readers will give them their support as well.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.