Braised Pork Belly Caraway Sauerkraut Potatoes Recipes

BRAISED PORK AND SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300º. Trim any excess fat from the ribs.
• In a large dutch oven, put 1 can of sauerkraut, with juices, into the pot and spread along the bottom. Place one layer of pork ribs on top of sauerkraut. Season with salt and pepper. Add another can of sauerkraut over the ribs. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Repeat with another layer of pork ribs, salt and pepper, another can of sauerkraut. Top with brown sugar. (So I did two layers of pork and 3 cans of kraut. You may want or need another can of sauerkraut. Just adjust to your amount and size of ribs and pot.)
• Add water to the side of the ribs, enough so liquid comes ¾ of the way up the pork and kraut, I added about ½ can of water. Cover pot with lid.
• Place in middle of oven and braise for 2½ - 3 hours, until pork is very tender when pierced. You can remove the lid the last 15 - 30 minutes if you want the top more brown.
• Remove from oven and skim any fat from the top. Serve with mashed potatoes, and maybe apple sauce (not baked beans!).

PORK AND SAUERKRAUT WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the sauerkraut, onion, apples, corn syrup, bay leaves, caraway and pepper. Spoon half into a 5-qt. slow cooker; top with potatoes. , Broil pork chops 6 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned; place over potatoes. Spoon remaining sauerkraut mixture over pork. , Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cook 4-5 hours longer or until meat is tender. Discard bay leaves.

BRINED-AND-BRAISED PORK BELLY WITH CARAWAY

Steps:

• Two days before serving the pork, prepare the brine: In a large skillet over low heat, toast the caraway seeds. Cool and grind in a spice grinder. In a large plastic container, combine the caraway, fennel, peppercorns, coriander, salt, brown sugar, garlic, cider vinegar and 4 cups water. Add the pork, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. In a braising pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, thyme and 2 tablespoons toasted caraway seeds to the pan. Brown the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the pork to the pan, skin side up. Pour in the apple cider and enough broth to cover the meat by three-fourths. Bring to a boil, then cover and braise in the oven until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Cool the pork in its cooking liquid and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Scrape off and discard excess fat from the braising liquid. Remove the pork and discard loose gelatin. Cut the pork into serving pieces and place in a wide saute pan with a heatproof handle. Bring the braising liquid to a boil and reduce by about two-thirds, or until it lightly coats the back of a spoon; strain. Pour just enough liquid over the pork to submerge halfway. Sprinkle with the remaining caraway seeds, then place the pan in the oven and heat through, basting occasionally. Top pork with sauce and serve with braised cabbage, a recipe for which can be found at nytimes.com/magazine.

BRAISED PORK BELLY CARAWAY SAUERKRAUT & POTATOES

Steps:

• To Cure the Pork Remove the skin from the pork belly (if the butcher hasn't done this for you). Using a sharp knife, score the fat side in a crisscross pattern, making cuts about ¼ inch deep. Stir together the salt, sugar, parsley, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Rub the mixture all over the pork, especially into the scored fat. Place half the remaining cure mixture in a large shallow pan or baking dish and press the pork into it, meat-side down. Press the remaining mixture over the pork, cover tightly with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours. To Braise the Belly Brush as much of the cure mixture from the pork as possible. Pour just enough oil into a large, heavy sauté pan to cover the bottom and place the pan over low heat. Put the pork in the pan fat-side down and slowly render until golden brown, about10 minutes. Turn the pork and brown the side with the meat. Remove the pork to a platter and carefully pour off about half of the rendered fat from the pan. Add the onions and caraway seeds to the pan and cook for 5 minutes: The onions should be limp but not fully tender, and the caraway aromatic. Stir the sauerkraut into the pan and heat it through. Nestle the pork belly in the pan and tuck in the rosemary as well. Pour in the wine, cover the pan, and slowly braise the pork until fork-tender, about 2 ½ hours. Check about every 45 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, adding water if necessary. About 20 minutes before the pork is done, add the potatoes; cook until they are fork-tender but still have the slightest touch of a bite to them. Slice the pork into thick slabs and serve on a platter over the potatoes and sauerkraut. Accompany the pork with a dish or a dollop of mustard.

BRAISED SAUERKRAUT WITH PORK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Season the pork ribs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
• Heat a medium saucepan, over high heat, add the pigs feet, wine, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, dover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds for about 2 minutes, remove from heat; remove to a mortar and pestle, or use the side of a knife, and lightly crush them.
• Return Dutch oven to the heat, add the olive oil, increase heat to medium high and add the bratwurst; cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes then transfer to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium, melt butter, cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes; add apples, cook until both are golden, about 10 minutes more.
• Add garlic, cook 2 minutes.
• Add the wine and pigs feet; simmer 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot for any stuck on browned bits; add sauerkray, pork ribs, 3/4 cup water, carrots, coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Nesle the pork chop into the sauerkraut.
• Cover the pot and bake for 1 hour (or transfer to an oven safe casserole).
• After an hour, turn the pork chop and add in the bratwurst; cover, and return to oven for 30 minutes.
• Simmer, uncovered, until the juices thicken up and the meat is tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer (return to Dutch oven if using an oven-safe only casserole).
• Serve with boiled potatoes and garnish with chopped parsley.