I don't remember a single new year's day growing up when I didn't wake up to the smell of pork and sauerkraut cooking away! Tradition says it's good luck to this dish for New Year's, so plug in your Instant Pot and get to cookin!
I never liked it as a kid. I would meticulously pick off every strand of sauerkraut from my pork and keilbasa (pronounced "kabossy" back then) before drowning them in ketchup. Somewhere along the way, I stopped being so picky and realized that sauerkraut is DELISH! This year, our New Year's day dinner will be totally Whole30 compliant, so that means no ketchup for me! But I'll still be enjoying pork, sauerkraut, Applegate organic beef hot dogs, mashed potatoes, and spicy mustard on the side! Mashed potatoes are the only acceptable side dish, got it?
While my mom always cooks pork and sauerkraut alllll day in a roaster, I'm keeping things quick and easy in my Instant Pot! I used a boneless pork loin since that's what I had, but a fattier cut like pork shoulder would be more tender.
A quick note on sauerkraut! If you want all of the probiotic benefits that kraut can offer, the stuff you get at the store in a can or a bag won't cut it; and you'll want to look for raw fermented kraut! If you want to grab some at the store and are also keeping things Whole30, make sure to watch out for non-compliant preservatives (like sodium bisulfate). Libby's sauerkraut in a can is just cabbage, water, and salt, so it's a safe bet!
Instant Pot Pork & Sauerkraut
[Whole30 - Paleo - Gluten Free - Grain Free - Dairy Free]
Ingredients:
2.5 lb boneless pork loin or pork shoulder
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1 cup water
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 granny smith apples, chopped
3-4 14.5oz cans Libby's sauerkraut (or whatever kind you want!), drained
1 package Applegate Uncured Beef Hot Dogs (optional)
Instructions:
Cut pork loin or shoulder into 2 or 3 large chunks. Pat dry with paper towels and season all sides with salt and pepper.
Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to inner pot of Instant Pot and set to Saute Mode.
Once the oil is hot, brown the pork, allowing it to sear for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Remove the pork to a plate and add 1 cup of water to the inner pot, using a metal spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
Insert the trivet into the inner pot, place the pork on top, and top with sliced onions.
Seal the lid and set Instant Pot to Manual, high pressure, 30 minutes.
When the time is up, manually release the pressure (I always put a dish towel loosely on/around the valve to catch any splatters), and open the instant pot.
Add in the drained sauerkraut, chopped apples, and Applegate hot dogs (if using).
Re-seal the pot and set for an additional 5 minutes.
When the time is up, manually release the pressure, open the instant pot, and enjoy!
Serve pork and kraut with mashed potatoes and a side salad.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
Instant Pot Pork & Sauerkraut – Maria Makes: New Year's Day Tradition #Whole30 and #Paleo