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Pork Roast with Sauerkraut

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This cozy, classic pork roast with sauerkraut is slow-roasted for melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, balanced with sweet apples and aromatic caraway seeds. It’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal perfect for New Year’s or any chilly night.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 lbs boneless or bone-in pork shoulder or pork loin roast
  • 32 oz sauerkraut (about 4 cups), drained
  • 1 large apple, peeled and sliced (Granny Smith preferred)
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional, but recommended)
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2–3 medium potatoes, cut into chunks (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
  • 2–3 juniper berries (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Lightly grease a large roasting pan or Dutch oven.
  2. Pat pork roast dry with paper towels. Rub with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  3. Optional: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Sear pork 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
  4. Spread half the sauerkraut in the bottom of the roasting pan. Scatter half the apple slices, onion, garlic, and caraway seeds on top. Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp brown sugar over this layer.
  5. Place the pork roast on top of the sauerkraut bed. Pile remaining sauerkraut, apples, onion, garlic, and caraway seeds over and around the roast. Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar. Pour chicken broth around the edges (not directly on the roast). Add bay leaf.
  6. Cover tightly with foil or lid. Bake for 2-2.5 hours (pork shoulder) or 1.5-2 hours (pork loin), until pork reaches 145°F internally.
  7. If pan looks dry, add a splash more broth. For extra browning, uncover for last 20 minutes of roasting.
  8. Remove from oven. Let pork rest, tented with foil, for 15 minutes before slicing.
  9. Slice pork against the grain into thick pieces. Serve with sauerkraut mixture spooned on top.

Notes

For best results, use a naturally fermented sauerkraut and a pork shoulder with some fat. Browning the pork before roasting adds extra flavor. Resting the meat after roasting is essential for juicy slices. Add potatoes for a one-pan meal, and adjust seasoning to taste. Leftovers improve in flavor and can be reheated with a splash of broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: pork roast, sauerkraut, New Year's dinner, comfort food, German, holiday recipe, oven roasted pork, family meal

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