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
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic, fresh sage, and S&P.
- 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.
- With a thin-bladed knife make slits all over the pork and then, with YOUR FINGERS, insert most of the remaining garlic-sage mixture.
- 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.
- Place roast nestled in the potato/sauerkraut mixture in the 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.