German style kraut with pork chops

Now that is comfort food with authority 🇩🇪🥨
Savory pork, tangy sauerkraut, a little sweetness—perfect cold-weather meal.

German-Style Sauerkraut with Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1–1¼ inches thick)
• Salt & black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil or bacon fat
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large jar or bag (24–32 oz) sauerkraut, drained but not rinsed
• ½ cup apple juice or beer
• 1 small apple, peeled & sliced (optional but very traditional)
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional: 1 tsp brown sugar (if kraut is very sharp)

Instructions

1. Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high.
3. Sear pork chops 3–4 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add onion and cook until soft, scraping up browned bits.
5. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
6. Stir in sauerkraut, apple juice/beer, apple slices, caraway, bay leaf, and sugar (if using).
7. Nestle pork chops back into the kraut.
8. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30–40 minutes until pork is tender.

Oven Option (Very Traditional)

• After searing and assembling, cover and bake at 325°F (165°C) for 1½ hours.

Pro Tips

• Bone-in chops stay juicier.
• Don’t rinse the kraut unless it’s extremely salty—you want that tang.
• A little fat (bacon grease or butter) makes the whole dish richer.

Serve With

• Mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes
• Spaetzle or buttered noodles
• German mustard on the side

Want it slow cooker, with bratwurst instead, or extra old-world sour?

Now that is comfort food with authority 🇩🇪🥨
Savory pork, tangy sauerkraut, a little sweetness—perfect cold-weather meal.

Geients

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1–1¼ inches thick)
• Salt & black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil or bacon fat