Try Swedish pork and sauerkraut for a traditional New Years treat

Try Swedish pork and sauerkraut for a traditional New Years treat
                        
There are an awful lot of us who are of German descent in our area. I like to think that it’s because this part of Ohio looks so much like that part of Europe. They have mountains, of course, but the landscape of farms rolls along in a similar way in both places. Even if there isn’t a drop of German blood in your family, it’s a pretty good bet I know what you’re planning to cook in a few days: pork and sauerkraut. It’s the smelly thing all children dislike — only to find that it’s delicious after all once they get along into adulthood, largely due to our naturally changing palettes as we age. Pork and sauerkraut are said to bring good luck and health in the coming year. Each individual strand of fermented cabbage represents prosperity; the fatty pork brings a year fat with abundance. I don’t put much store in such hokum, but the dish is sure to bring you one thing: a rumbling tummy to ring in the New Year. You know what? That stuff is smelly as it cooks. And smelly as it dissipates as leftovers. But I find it depends a little on how you make it. You can dump a couple bags of kraut over some fatty chunk of pork and bake the heck out of it, and that’s fine. I grew up with just that dish. There are many variations, and several years ago I stumbled across a recipe for Swedish kraut that is a bit milder and gentler than the standard version. It mixes the kraut with a lot of fresh cabbage and uses smoked pork rather than a plain shoulder or butt roast. I like both kinds of meat, and use both, along with a few extra spices. One caution: I would avoid kraut from a can, as it tends to taste like, well, can. SWEDISH SAUERKRAUT Servings: 6 or so, with leftovers. 1/2 to 1 pound smoked pork cut into large cubes 1/2 to 1 pound fresh pork shoulder roast, cut into large cubes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large yellow onion 2 cloves garlic 1 small head cabbage 1 32-ounce plastic bag or glass jar of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark) 2 cups dry white wine 1 generous teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted for a 5-6 minutes in a dry pan over medium heat until the aroma is released. Pepper to taste — you shouldn’t need salt. Heat a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil, then the pork, in batches, until lightly browned, remove and set aside. It will render much of its fat. Pour off all but two or three tablespoons fat and add the onions and garlic. When soft, add the cabbage, then return the pork to the pot. Cover and let the cabbage collapse and release some of its juice. Add the kraut, white wine, caraway seeds, brown sugar and pepper. Simmer, covered, for an hour or so. If you prefer a lightly browned baked kraut, bake it in a 350-degree oven for an hour, uncovered, keep a close eye on it throughout to maintain liquid. Serve with mashed potatoes.


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