Sauerkraut with Pork

Name: Sauerkraut with Pork
Yield: serves 8 to 10
Ingredients: 4 pounds sauerkraut; 4 cups fresh cold water; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 5 fresh bay leaves; 3 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or more as needed; 1-pound solid chunk fresh pork shoulder (butt); 1/2-pound solid chunk smoked pork loin or Canadian bacon; 1/2-pound slab bacon; 1 pound smoked pork sausages; Freshly ground black pepper; A heavy-bottomed, 8-quart, 12-inch saucepan

December 14, 2011

At every major holiday or event in Istria—no matter what else—there must be a pot of sauerkraut with big cuts of cured and fresh pork buried inside. This dish belongs in the category of treasured one-pot meals, filled with flavor, that can feed a crowd yet require little attention from the cook. It is enjoyed for days—even better reheated—and if there are any leftovers, they are turned into jota, page 42. It is essential that cured meats be of the best quality, so visit a real Eastern European–style butcher if you can. Good sauerkraut is also essential. If you can’t find genuine fresh sauerkraut, sold in bulk, I recommend buying bagged sauerkraut, in the refrigerator cases of most supermarkets, rather than canned.

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