Name: Roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 0.3 kg pork shoulder; 0.375 teaspoon salt; 0.25 teaspoon black pepper; 0.5 teaspoon caraway; 1 clove garlic; 0.5 pcs onion; 0.5 tablespoon lard; 75 ml water; 150 g sauerkraut; 0.25 pcs onion; 0.25 tablespoon lard; 0.25 tablespoon caster sugar; 0.25 teaspoon caraway; 0.125 teaspoon salt; 0.0625 teaspoon black pepper; 0.25 tablespoon plain flour; 50 ml water

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, season all over with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with caraway seeds.
2
Press or crush the garlic and rub it into the meat. Peel the onion and cut into thicker wedges.
3
Place the lard and onion in a roasting pan. Put the meat on top and add about half of the water so there is some liquid at the bottom.
4
If desired, briefly rinse the sauerkraut under cold water and squeeze it well. Finely chop the onion for the sauerkraut.

Cooking

5
Roast the meat covered in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. During roasting, baste several times with the drippings and, if needed, add the remaining water.
6
After 1 hour, turn the meat and roast for another 40-50 minutes. Near the end, uncover and increase the temperature to 200 °C to form a golden crust.
7
Meanwhile, melt the lard in a pot, sauté the onion until translucent, add caraway seeds and sugar, and let the sugar lightly caramelize.
TIP:
Add sugar while sautéing onions and let it caramelize gently. Stir constantly and be careful not to burn. Caramelization will give the sauce a sweet-salty depth and the meat a golden color.
8
Stir in the squeezed sauerkraut, add some water, cover, and simmer over low heat for 25-30 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally.
9
Lightly thicken the cabbage: sprinkle with all-purpose flour, mix well, and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
TIP:
Prepare a roux separately from fat and flour, and, while stirring constantly, gradually whisk it into the cabbage and its juice until you reach the desired consistency. This prevents lumps and keeps the juice smooth.
10
Remove the roasted meat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Place the roasting pan on the stove, blend the drippings with a little water into a smooth gravy, and cook briefly.

Serving

11
Slice the meat into thicker slices. On the plate, place a portion of the braised sauerkraut and a bread dumpling, and pour the hot pan gravy over everything.
12
Serve immediately, ideally on warmed plates so the meat and gravy do not cool down too quickly.

More tips:

If the sauerkraut is very sour, rinse briefly under cold water and squeeze thoroughly. It will soften more easily and the flavor will be more balanced.

When adding liquid, use hot water so the oven temperature isn't lowered and the crust stays nicely browned.

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