Pork with Apples, Bacon, and Sauerkraut
(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)
Source: Southern Living-
Serves 8 peopleCategories: Pork main dish
Ingredients
- 1 (3 lb.) boneless pork loin
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 6 oz. thinly sliced pancetta or bacon
- Kitchen string
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 small onions, quartered (root end intact)
- 1 (12 oz.) pkg. frozen pearl onions (about 2 cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (12 oz.) bottle stout or porter beer
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 firm apples (such as Gala), divided
- 2 cups jarred sauerkraut, rinsed
- 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
Directions
- Trim fat and silver skin from pork. Sprinkle pork with kosher salt and pepper. Wrap top and sides of pork with pancetta. Tie with kitchen string, securing at 1-inch intervals.
- Cook pork in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from skillet, reserving drippings in skillet.
- Place quartered onion and next 4 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker; top with pork.
- Add beer to reserved drippings in skillet, and cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring to loosen brown bits from bottom of skillet. Stir in mustard, and pour over pork. Cover and cook on high 2 hours.
- Peel 2 apples, and cut into large wedges. Add apple wedges, sauerkraut, and cabbage to slow cooker; cover and cook 1 to 2 more hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of pork registers 150 degrees and apples are tender.
- Cut remaining unpeeled apple into thin strips, and toss with parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine preserves and broth in a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes or until melted and smooth.
- Brush pork with apricot mixture. Cut pork into slices, and serve with onion mixture, apple-parsley mixture, and additional Dijon mustard.