Chef Dean
American Goulash
A Midwestern one-pot supper of seasoned ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and tomatoes simmered into a thick, soul-satisfying stew. This is the dish that fed factory workers and farm families alike.
Culinary Explorer
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Pork Chops and Sauerkraut
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Thick bone-in pork chops braised until fork-tender atop a bed of tangy sauerkraut, apple, and caraway. This is the dish German immigrants brought to Pennsylvania and the Midwest, now as American as apple pie and twice as lucky on New Year's Day.
Main Dishes
German
New Years
Comfort Food
20 min
Active Time
2 hr cook•2 hr 20 min total
Yield4 servings
Every New Year's Day, from the rolling hills of Pennsylvania Dutch country to the farmhouses of Wisconsin, families sit down to this dish believing it will bring prosperity in the year ahead. The superstition holds that pigs root forward while chickens scratch backward, so eating pork on the first day of January propels you toward good fortune. I've never put much stock in superstitions, but I put tremendous stock in this recipe.
German immigrants carried this combination across the Atlantic in the eighteenth century and found America's hog farms and cabbage fields waiting for them. They adapted their technique to what the land provided: bigger chops, sweeter apples, and the particular tang of American-made sauerkraut fermented in crocks throughout autumn. What emerged was neither purely German nor purely American but something entirely its own.
The method here is simple braising. You brown the chops first to build a crust and develop fond in the pan, then nestle them into the sauerkraut and let the oven do the rest. Two hours later, the meat falls from the bone at the mere suggestion of a fork. The sauerkraut has mellowed and absorbed the pork drippings. The apple has dissolved into the background, contributing sweetness without announcing itself. This is food that rewards patience.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
bone-in pork chops, 1 inch thick
Quantity
4 (10-12 oz each)
sauerkraut
Quantity
2 pounds
drained and rinsed
yellow onion
Quantity
1 large
thinly sliced
tart apple (Granny Smith)
Quantity
1 large
peeled and sliced
thick-cut bacon
Quantity
4 slices
cut into 1-inch pieces
caraway seeds
Quantity
1 tablespoon
garlic
Quantity
2 cloves
smashed
dry white wine or chicken stock
Quantity
1 cup
brown sugar
Quantity
2 tablespoons
bay leaves
Quantity
2
black pepper
Quantity
1 teaspoon
freshly ground
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
vegetable oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| bone-in pork chops, 1 inch thick | 4 (10-12 oz each) |
| sauerkrautdrained and rinsed | 2 pounds |
| yellow onionthinly sliced | 1 large |
| tart apple (Granny Smith)peeled and sliced | 1 large |
| thick-cut baconcut into 1-inch pieces | 4 slices |
| caraway seeds | 1 tablespoon |
| garlicsmashed | 2 cloves |
| dry white wine or chicken stock | 1 cup |
| brown sugar | 2 tablespoons |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| vegetable oil | 2 tablespoons |
Equipment Needed
- •5-6 quart Dutch oven or heavy braising pan with lid
- •Sturdy tongs for turning chops
- •Slotted spoon
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the pork chops
Pull the pork chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Cold meat hitting hot fat produces steam, not sear. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. The seasoning should be visible on the surface, not shy.
Bone-in rib chops or center-cut loin chops both work beautifully here. The bone insulates the meat during braising and adds body to the cooking liquid. - 2
Render the bacon
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Set a large Dutch oven or heavy braising pan over medium heat and add the bacon pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon has turned golden and slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. The kitchen will smell like Sunday morning. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- 3
Brown the pork chops
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the vegetable oil to the bacon fat. When the fat shimmers and just begins to smoke, lay the pork chops in the pan. Do not crowd them. Work in batches if necessary. Let them cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until a deep golden-brown crust forms on the bottom. Flip and brown the second side for 3 minutes more. Transfer the chops to a plate. They are not cooked through, and that's exactly right.
Resist the urge to move the chops while they sear. The crust develops only when the meat maintains contact with the hot surface. Patience here pays dividends in flavor. - 4
Build the sauerkraut base
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the pan and cook in the pork drippings, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and caraway seeds and stir until fragrant, no more than a minute. The caraway should release its anise-like perfume.
- 5
Add sauerkraut and apple
Add the drained sauerkraut, apple slices, brown sugar, bay leaves, and reserved bacon to the pot. Pour in the wine or stock and stir everything together. The liquid should come about halfway up the sauerkraut. Taste the mixture now. It should be tangy but balanced, not aggressively sour. If it puckers your mouth, add another tablespoon of brown sugar.
- 6
Nestle and braise
Push the sauerkraut mixture to create four shallow wells and nestle the browned pork chops into the kraut, pressing them down so they're partially submerged. The bones can stick up proudly. Spoon some of the sauerkraut over the tops of the chops. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
If your lid doesn't seal well, press a sheet of aluminum foil over the pot before adding the lid. The braise needs steam to work its magic. - 7
Braise until tender
Transfer the pot to your preheated oven and braise for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. The chops are done when the meat pulls easily from the bone and a fork slides through with no resistance. The sauerkraut will have absorbed the pork juices and turned silky. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- 8
Rest and serve
Let the pot rest with the lid ajar for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and the temperature to settle. Serve each chop atop a generous mound of braised sauerkraut, making sure to spoon the cooking liquid over everything. Mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles are the only proper companions.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out refrigerated sauerkraut sold in bags or jars in the deli section rather than the shelf-stable canned variety. The flavor is brighter, the texture more substantial. Bubbies, Boar's Head, and local brands from German delis are all excellent choices.
- •Rinsing the sauerkraut is not optional. Straight from the package, it carries too much brine and will overwhelm the pork. A good rinse under cold water followed by a gentle squeeze removes excess salt while preserving the essential tang.
- •If you can find juniper berries, add six of them crushed lightly with the flat of your knife. They contribute a subtle piney note that's traditional in German preparations and pairs beautifully with the caraway.
- •This dish pairs magnificently with a slightly off-dry German Riesling or a cold pilsner. The acidity in both cuts through the richness of the pork and echoes the tang of the kraut.
- •Leftovers make an outstanding sandwich. Pile the shredded pork and kraut on good rye bread with grainy mustard and a slice of Swiss cheese, then griddle it like a patty melt.
Advance Preparation
- •This dish improves dramatically overnight. Make it a day ahead, cool completely, and refrigerate covered. The flavors meld and deepen. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven for 30-40 minutes until warmed through.
- •The sauerkraut mixture can be assembled and refrigerated up to a day before braising. Brown the chops just before cooking and proceed with the recipe.
- •Leftover pork and sauerkraut keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. It also freezes well for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 665g)
Calories
775 calories
Total Fat
46 g
Saturated Fat
16 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
30 g
Cholesterol
125 mg
Sodium
2600 mg
Total Carbohydrates
28 g
Dietary Fiber
7 g
Sugars
22 g
Protein
58 g
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