Pork Knuckles With Sauerkraut And Dumplings Recipes

PORK, SAUERKRAUT AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place pork roast into the bottom of a slow cooker and cover with sauerkraut with juice, applesauce, brown sugar, and 1 can beer. Set cooker to High, cover, and cook 3 hours. Reduce heat to Low and cook 4 more hours.
• About 1 1/2 hours before serving time, heat water with reserved pork trimmings in a large saucepan over low heat and simmer to make broth, about 45 minutes. Strain broth, discard trimmings, and pour remaining can of beer and kraut juice into the simmering broth. Bring the broth to a boil.
• Mix baking mix and milk in a bowl to make a sticky dough. Drop by spoonfuls into the boiling broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer dumplings for 10 minutes; uncover and simmer until dumplings are set, about 10 more minutes. For chewier dumplings, boil a few minutes longer. Remove dumplings from the broth with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Serve pork with cooked kraut and dumplings on the side; spoon thickened broth over dumplings.

SAUERKRAUT, DUMPLINGS, WITH PIGS KNUCKLES, PORK OR HOT DOGS

Steps:

• Make sure the pigs knuckles if using is clean and scraped. Pork can also be used. Add to taste. 2 to 3 pounds if using pork.
• Combine with the sauerkraut and cover with cold water.
• Cook slowly until the knuckles [or pork] are tender and well done.
• To the beaten egg, add the melted butter and water. Then sift the flour, salt and nutmeg [we did NOT use this. I am not sure how it will taste] together and combine with egg mixture. If using the baking powder put it in the dumpling mix.
• Beat thoroughly. If necessary, add more flour to make batter stiff enough to drop from spoon. You want sticky drop cookie consistency. You will need to PUSH it off the spoon but it should come off easily.
• Fifteen minutes before serving, drop the batter by spoonfuls into the hot sauerkraut. Cover pot tightly and serve as soon as dumplings are cooked. DO NOT PEEK. DO NOT OPEN THE POT. If you do you will have flat rocks.
• Rule of thumb use 1 tsp baking powder for each egg. Use water to stiffen. You might want to add it a tbsp at a time until dough is right consistency.
• Make sure the pork is cooked before adding the dumplings. IF is shreds when you cook it? It's done.

PORK KNUCKLES WITH SAUERKRAUT AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Clean pork knuckles, scrape and wash thoroughly.
• Combine with sauerkraut and cover with cold water.
• Cook slowly until knuckles are tender.
• Add melted butter to beaten egg and water.
• Sift dry ingredients together and combine with egg mixture; beat thoroughly.
• If necessary, add more flour to make a stiff enough batter to drop from a spoon.
• Twenty minutes before serving, drop the batter by spoonfuls into the hot sauerkraut.
• Cover tightly and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

PORK LOIN, SAUERKRAUT AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the pork loin, pressure cooker method:
• In a pressure cooker set on high heat, brown the pork in the oil on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Add about 6 cups water or broth so there is about 1 1/2 inches. For larger roasts, add 1/2-inch more liquid per pound. Pressure cook until the pork is extremely tender and falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (This is important to the dish.) Remove the meat from the pot and reserve the juices.
• For the pork loin, oven method:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pierce the pork with a knife and insert the slices of garlic different parts of the roast. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron pot over high heat. Sear the pork until brown. Add the beef broth and vermouth (this will also deglaze the pan) and cover the pot with a lid. Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until the pork is pink and juicy inside but not dry and gray, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Be sure to periodically check your roast, as you want the roast to be pink and juicy inside, not dry and gray. Remove the meat from the pot and reserve the juices.
• Combine the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pan juices to thicken the juices so they will stick to the pork and dumplings. (However, Grandma and Grandpa preferred the traditional thinner juice.)
• For the potato dumplings:
• While the meat is cooking, prepare the dumplings. Place a pot of water to boil.
• Place the potato flakes in a large bowl. Place the milk, butter and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Pour the potato mixture over the potato flakes and whip with a fork until smooth. Let cool.
• Add the eggs to the potatoes and mix well. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until a dough forms, adding more flour if needed.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured bread board and knead in more flour until the dough is stiff and doesn't stick to your hands. Break off small pieces and form into flat balls, drop into rapidly boiling water. Bring back to a boil and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Cut 1 and if it isn't sticky inside, they are done.
• For the sauerkraut:
• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the onion and cook until transparent. Add the sauerkraut, vermouth, beef bouillon to taste, caraway seeds to taste, salt (not much) and pepper. Simmer until the flavors meld, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve along side the pork.
• For serving:
• This was usually done homestyle. Place some pork, a dumpling (cut into hearty, bit-size pieces) and some sauerkraut on a plate. Then pass and spoon or drizzle some of the reserved meat juices over the pork and dumplings--this ties everything all together and gives you a forkful of flavor in each bite.
• There you have it: hearty, stick-to-your-ribs pork, dumplings and sauerkraut--an excellent dish on a cold, frosty night!