New Year, New Pork Roast Recipe

We spent new year’s day on the farm with Beth, Greg and our newest family addition, Luke.  The occasion called for a new preparation of the classic New Year’s Day traditional meal for good luck:  Pork roast, sauerkraut and dumplings.  We decided to go crock pot aka slow cooker.  We liked it.  Well, all of us except Luke.  He just had milk.

New Year’s Day Dinner

1 pork roast (ours was probably about 3-5 pounds)

2 apples, cored and sliced

4 garlic cloves, halved

¼ cup brown sugar

1 T dijon mustard

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 jar Frank’s sauerkraut  (bought in Wisconsin, only to find it’s made in Fremont, Ohio.  Turns out, their website is http://www.sauerkraut.com/.  Obviously, the quintessential sauerkraut maker.)

1 large Onion, chopped and divided (or 2 small)

Olive Oil

1 C chicken stock

Salt and pepper

1 T butter

Sophie’s Choice Potato Dumplings (these are hard to find – I bought them at Heinen's in Rocky River the week before new years and hauled them up to Wisconsin.  They are made by Sophie's Choice Pierogi Company in Cleveland, Ohio.)

For the Pork Roast:

Toss the apples in the bottom the crock pot.  Trim excess fat from roast.  Rub all over with halved garlic (I am betting this will increase our luck in 2011; otherwise, I don't know that it makes a real difference).  Throw the halves in the pot.  Season roast liberally with salt and pepper all over.  Prick roast with a fork all over the place.  Place the roast in the pot atop the apples and garlic.  Mix together the brown sugar, mustard and vinegar and pour over the roast.  Slow cook, covered on low, for 6 to 8 hours.

The sauerkraut and dumplings are easy.  Drain the kraut.  Saute onions in oil on medium heat in a dutch oven or sauce pot.  Add the kraut, stock, and salt and pepper to taste.  Once heated through, reduce to a simmer.  We simmered for about 20 minutes, and the edges got nice and brown.  No need to add caraway seeds, as Frank’s did that for us.  May need to add more stock if it gets too dry.  You want it moist, not soupy.

In another pan, sauté onions in butter on medium heat.  When soft, add the dumplings.  Cook on medium low, turning a few times, until dumplings just start to brown.  Could always just boil them or throw them into the crock pot near the end for a lower fat preparation.

At the last minute, Beth said, “We need a vegetable!”  Excellent observation, which is sure to result in triple luck for us all (really, could we get any luckier, we thought?).  She sautéed spring peas that she had frozen fresh in a little bit of milk.  A trick she learned from Greg, she said. 

Happy new year!