New Year’s Eve Pork and Sauerkraut Recipe

This easy recipe will fill your home with comforting aromas, making it the perfect dish to enjoy as you ring in the new year.

Cooking pork and sauerkraut in the oven is not only simple but ensures tender, flavorful results that everyone at your celebration will love. Gather your loved ones and share this hearty meal that’s said to promise prosperity and good fortune for the coming months.

What Is The Pork and Sauerkraut Tradition All About

According to the German Food Guide, eating sauerkraut on New Year’s Eve is a long-standing German tradition. It is believed in Germany that eating sauerkraut will bring blessings and long life. Before the meal, those seated at the table wish each other as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of sauerkraut.

The Pennsylvania Dutch also felt pigs were a symbol of good luck and well-being. The reason for this has to do with how a pig finds it’s food. A pig roots going forward, according to Linda Pelaccio, a culinary historian and host of “A Taste of the Past” podcast.

“It’s good to always go forward into the next year—you don’t want to go backward,” she tells Reader’s Digest. “For instance, we would not eat lobster for luck in the new year because lobsters walk backward.” Similarly, we’d skip the chicken because they scratch the ground going backward. In addition, Pelaccio says that pork is considered good luck because it is so rich in fat, and the fat signifies prosperity.

Because of this, many people believe that eating a meal with pork will bring luck in the coming new year. 

Ingredients You Need To Make Pork and Sauerkraut

This classic pork and sauerkraut recipe requires only a few simple ingredients to create a delicious meal.

• Boneless pork tenderloin: What kind of pork for New Year’s is optional, however, I prefer a boneless loin, but my grandmother used large pork sausage links when she made this recipe. You could also use pork chops, pork shoulder roast, pork hot dogs, or any other type of pork you enjoy. Just be sure to trim off any excess fat. You do not want greasy sauerkraut.
• Apple: I like using a sweet, tangy apple to complement the sauerkraut. Granny Smith apples or other pie-baking apples would be a good choice.
• Sauerkraut: The best sauerkraut would be fresh, where the fermentation process was not stopped by high-heat canning. I purchased my kraut in the grocery refrigerator section. You can get it with caraway seeds already in or not. Be sure you do not rinse. The juice adds flavor and keeps your pork tender.
• Caraway seeds: These are optional, but they add a nice nutty, bittersweet sharpness with a hint of citrus, pepper, and mild licorice flavor. 
• Black pepper: Use a large course ground setting on your pepper mill.

📝 Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

How To Make New Years Pork and Sauerkraut

1. Pat the pork roast with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture.

2. Sprinkle the roast with salt, pepper, and paprika, rubbing it all over the roast.

3. Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, place your pork loin in the pan. Sautee, turn it to brown the outside of your pork loin evenly. This should take about 5 minutes to do it properly.

4. In a 4.5-quart Dutch oven, place the sauerkraut along with the sauerkraut juice on the bottom, spreading it evenly out. Sprinkle in the caraway seeds if your sauerkraut did not have them in it already. Add onions and apple pieces. Sprinkle this all with brown sugar. Place the seared pork roast on top. If your sauerkraut is not very juicy, add enough water to equal a cup of liquid to the roaster.
5. Place the lid on your dutch oven and put it into your 325 degrees preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours or until your meat is fork tender. Also, it’s important to use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 150 degrees or higher in your roast to decide if it is done.
6. Be sure and check your pot every 30 minutes to ensure it is not drying out. If the liquid is gone and enough to have about a cup in the bottom of the dutch oven.

Variations ideas

• Substitute the water for a cup of beer or white wine. Doing this will give your dish a more earthy, savory flavor.
• Substitute 1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce for a large apple.
• Substitute apple juice for the water for a sweeter dish.

What to serve with pork and sauerkraut

My grandmother always served our pork sausage and sauerkraut over mashed potatoes as a side dish. However, you could also pour it over hot, buttered noodles with a side of applesauce.

⚖️ Need a big batch to feed a crowd? You can easily change the number of servings in the recipe card below by tapping 2x or 3x. The ingredient measurements will automatically double or triple. You can then tap print and there you have it, a recipe for a crowd.