Slow Cooker PA Dutch Pork & Sauerkraut with Kielbasa
Start the New Year off right with a PA Dutch favorite and traditional dinner of slow cooked Pork and Sauerkraut with Kielbasa.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 3 - 4 pounds pork loin roast trimmed of excess fat
- 2-3 cans (14 ounces each) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
- 1 pound Hillshire Farms polish or beef kielbasa cut into 4 pieces
- 1 large onion, sliced thick cut in half and sliced
- 1 can beer (doesn't matter the kind) it doesn't matter the kind
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- ⅛ to ¼ cup brown sugar (use the amount to your tastes, I used a little more than the ⅛ cup)
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the sauerkraut and place in the bottom of crockpot. Mix the brown sugar, caraway seeds, salt and pepper (to taste) with the sauerkraut. Place onion slices on top.
- Heat oil over med-high heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Season roast with the garlic and salt and pepper. Brown lightly on all sides and remove from skillet. Place meat on top of sauerkraut and onions.
- Pour one can of beer over everything and sauerkraut. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. About two hours before the pork will be done, add the kielbasa pieces around the roast in the crockpot. Give them a little push down into the juices.
- If your loin roast is smaller than the one I used, the cook time may not take 8 hours. Check it periodically, internal temperature should be at least 160 degrees. Mine was falling apart when it was done. I also turned the roast over a couple of times, totally not necessary though.
- Serve with mashed potatoes to complete the traditional meal.
Notes
see blog post for tips and variations.