Mom's Sauerkraut and Pork
List of Ingredients
Sauerkraut and pork is not served often in the south. And why would it be?--when one's experience is limited to canned kraut and hot dogs, it's easy to be unenthusiastic. Most of our friends turn purple at the very thought--until they try ours. They may not become fans, but at least they learn to tolerate it. Our friend Maggie adores it. If given a choice of menus, this is what she chooses. Her husband, however, remains ambivalent.
This recipe is Mom's. She always saved it for winter; it draws flies in the summer. Really.
This recipe takes abaout 45 minutes to prepare.
Recipe
Potatoes:
Peel and quarter about 5 pounds potatoes. Cover with water. Salt to taste. While meat cooks, bring potatoes to a boil and simmer about 20-25 minutes. Drain and mash with 2-3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup milk. [I usually mash potatoes with sour cream or buttermilk.]
Sauerkraut:
Open two large cans of sauerkraut, drain, and pour juice into a saucepan. Add about 1/4 cup water and 1 pork chop, browned. Bring to a boil and add drained sauerkraut. Simmer 20 minutes or up to an hour.
Beans:
Allow 1/3 can beans per person. [I usually use 2-3 cans because we like leftovers.] Place beans in a casserole and either microwave on HIGH until warmed through or heat in a saucepan on the stove 10-15 minutes.
Pork chops:
Allow 2 chops per person. Fry in large frypan until well-browned. Remove from pan and keep warm in a low oven.
Gravy:
Add flour to drippings in pan. Cook a few minutes and then add enough water to make gravy. I like to use 1/2 - 1 cup potato water. Simmer until desired consistency is reached.
To serve, mound a scoop of mashed potatoes on each plate. Top with sauerkraut, then beans, and finally gravy. Serve porkchops separately. The fastidious and uninitiated may prefer all vegetables served individually, but they miss the true flavor by being so picky.
Notes:
Make a casserole of leftovers by layering in a baking dish in the order given above. Bone the chops and scatter diced meat on top. Reheat in oven (350 degrees 20-30 for minutes) or in microwave.
Old world customs passed down for generations have produced dozens of variations. Some families like applesauce or cooked apples on the side. A friend's family always served sweet potatoes. Some like caraway seeds stirred into their sauerkraut. Nobody seems to layer the way we do.
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