The recipe I found suggested that you mix in applesauce with the kraut. So, being a newbie to the whole "cooking with kraut" scene, I follow directions to the tee. I had to make an emergency call to my faithful MIL, because the recipe said I needed a dutch oven, and I didn't have one!
I didn't realize this until after I'd already purchased everything I needed for this dinner. Go figure.
Once I was assured that I could use a stock pot she had given me, the cooking resumed. I browned the pork, and pulled it out of the pan. I added the sauerkraut and applesauce and deglazed the pan. (At this point my husband was looking at me like I had 2 heads. "You're putting applesauce in there??") On top went the pork and on went the lid. I baked it in the oven for 2 hours.
I'd like to take this moment to apologize to my husband and son. I didn't read this recipe very well before I attempted it, and I didn't realize cooking dinner was going to be a 3 hour long event. When we ate at 9pm, I'm sure they were ready to chew their arms off in anticipation of food. Sorry, guys.
When dinner was finally ready, I was feeling pretty proud (albeit a tad guilty for the 3 hour wait time) of myself for expanding my family's culinary horizons. We ate the pork chops and sauerkraut with applesauce. It was OK. Nothing to rave about.
I was not ready to give up on this dish! What I had tasted whet my appetite (I apologize for the pun.), and I wanted to make this dish GOOD, not just OK.
My next attempt was a huge success. Thanks to my dad, I got a new stove/oven safe skillet for Christmas. I browned the pork, pulled it out. I added the sauerkraut and deglazed the pan. There was no applesauce action this time! I put the pork chops on top of the kraut and threw it in the oven for an hour and a half at 350. While that was cooking, I made some mashed potatoes.
Once again, I have to issue an apology, although I don't think this one was necessarily my fault. As I was mashing the potatoes, I went to grab the milk ... and alas! My milk drinking boys had demolished the whole gallon! So, the potatoes were of the heavy variety ... all I had to substitute was heavy cream. Yikes!
The final result: The sauerkraut was SPLENDID (I promised my bestie I would start using that word more often. I don't think it's fair that the British use it regularly and Americans really don't. I'm changing that! It's splendid!) over the mashed potatoes. The two of them complement each other in a way I didn't know was possible! My love for potatoes expanded! (Ok, maybe a little overkill, but it was really good.) And the pork chops were awesome.
No one missed the applesauce.
Ingredients:
1-2 lbs of pork chops (I actually used boneless pork ribs. I like the cut of meat better)
1 can or jar of sauerkraut
Potatoes
Butter
Milk
Directions:
Put a little butter (1-2 T) in an oven safe pan and turn on medium-high heat. When the pan is heated, place your chops in the pan and brown. Flip over and brown the other side.
Once the chops are brown, pull them out of the pan and add the sauerkraut in. Stir to deglaze. Add the pork back in, on top of the kraut. Nestle them in there, but don't completely submerge them. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours on 350 degrees.
During the last 30 minutes of baking, boil your potatoes, drain and mash. Add butter, milk, and salt.
To serve:
Put down mashed potatoes, spoon some sauerkraut on top, and add a pork chop to top it off. ENJOY!
**I'm sure you could make this in the crock pot too. I would follow the browning part of the recipe, but instead of putting it in the oven; I would transfer it to the crock pot, and cook it on low for 8 hours. Easy peasy!
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