Pork Chops with Sauerkraut, Apples, and Raisins (Serves 4)
The tangy bite of sauerkraut is overwhelming to some people and they don’t eat it. That’s a shame because the lactobacilli that is created when cabbage ferments into sauerkraut aids digestion, increases vitamin levels, and produces a variety of helpful enzymes in the body. Fortunately, the bite is relatively easy to tame by adding chopped apple and some apple cider to the mix. I was eating sauerkraut once per month to gain its health benefits. Now that I have learned to balance its bite with apples, I am enjoying sauerkraut every week or two. This recipe is one of my favorites – pork chops baked with sauerkraut, apples, and raisins.
Prep and Cook Time: 75-85 minutes
Ingredient list:
4 bone-in pork chops
32 ounces of sauerkraut
2 Granny Smith apples
Golden raisins
Apple cider
Ground nutmeg
Garlic powder
Salt
Directions: Preheat-oven to 350 degrees. Preheat non-stick grill-pan or skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and garlic powder. Lay pork chops in the hot grill-pan and let sear undisturbed for 5 minutes. Turn with tongs to let the second side sear for 5 minutes. Sear each side a few more minutes if the chops are not sufficiently browned. Drain juice from sauerkraut. Add sauerkraut to a mixing bowl. Wash, core, and chop apples into bits about the size of plump raisins and add to mixing bowl. Add a generous dusting of nutmeg. Add a big handful of raisins. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of apple cider to sweeten. Mix everything well. Lay chops in the bottom of a glass casserole dish. Cover the chops with the sauerkraut-apple mixture. Cover the casserole dish and bake it in the oven for one hour at 350 degrees. When done, scoop sauerkraut-apple mixture onto a plate, add a pork chop, and enjoy!
Notes: The Great Lakes Kraut Company publishes a recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and Kraut that inspired me to make this dish. I replaced brown sugar with apple cider for sweetness and omitted 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts in my version. I like walnuts okay, but they are high in omega 6 fatty acids and I wasn’t convinced I wanted them with my sauerkraut, so left them out.
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