This Instant Pork & Sauerkraut recipe will become your favorite meal to eat on New Years day. It’s quick and easy to make, and has a ton of flavor!
Did you know that in Germany there’s a tradition of eating pork and sauerkraut on New Years day? Eating these foods is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. You might even be blessed with “as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of Sauerkraut”, according to the German Food Guide.
I have to admit that I didn’t know about this tradition until I was an adult, even though I have German heritage. We did eat a lot of cabbage in various forms, even with pork, but not on New Years day.
Whether you’re serving this dish for New Years so you can reap the rewards of the superstition, or you’re just looking for a hearty and soul-warming dish to serve in fall or winter, you’re going to love this recipe.
» You might also like these Instant Pot Pork Chops.
What You’ll Need
- Pork roast – I prefer to use a pork shoulder or pork butt roast. This cut of meat really benefits from pressure cooking. It turns out so tender and not dry. You could use a pork leg or pork loin roast, but those cuts are best for slicing (cooked to 145 degrees F). They have less fat and will dry out faster.
- Salt & black pepper – Used for seasoning the roast.
- Cooking oil – The first step to cooking this roast is to brown the outside on saute mode. This helps add great flavor.
- Sauerkraut – You can make your own sauerkraut or use your favorite store bought brand. The health benefits of sauerkraut are immense, being a lacto-fermented vegetable. It is a good source of fiber and promotes digestive health.
- Apple juice or chicken stock – You can use either stock or juice. Apple goes really well with pork so we like to use it in this recipe. Juice also adds sweetness, so if you prefer a more sour flavor, use broth.
- Rosemary – Fresh or dried both work. Just use whichever you have on hand.
- Apple – Peeled and sliced. You can use any kind of apple that you have. Granny Smith apples hold up better in cooking, so you can go with a sweeter apple like Honeycrisp.
- Onion – I use a yellow onion, cut into chunks.
- Carrot – Peeled and sliced.
- Caraway seeds – This is optional, but it’s so good with the seeds. If you just don’t like them, leave them out.
About the Sauerkraut
The health benefits of sauerkraut are immense, being a lacto-fermented vegetable. It doesn’t take anything but cabbage and salt to make it yourself, but it does take at least two weeks for the fermentation process. You can make your own sauerkraut using this recipe.
I mostly use store-bought sauerkraut. I really like the Hengstenberg Bavarian Style Sauerkraut, which is admittedly different to find in the U.S. If you can find a brand that you really like, you can save a lot of time. However, most store-bought versions have no probiotic health benefits.
If that’s what you want, look for sauerkraut in the refrigerated section with a label that say lacto-fermented or naturally fermented. Sauerkraut found on the shelf in a can or a jar do not have live cultures.
How To Make Pork & Sauerkraut
Pork & Sauerkraut can be made via any method you want, whether it be a traditional or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot), crockpot, stovetop or oven. The steps are the same for all methods. I like to use the Instant Pot because it’s a much faster method of cooking.
Whichever cut of pork roast you use, the one thing that will change is the cooking time.
- Pork shoulder or butt (2 pounds): 45-55 minutes (cook to 200°F)
- Pork loin, leg, or sirloin roast (2 pounds): 25 minutes (cook to 145°F)
It’s important to note that these are small roasts of 2 pounds. If you’re cooking a larger roast, you’ll need to add more time.
Step 1: Sear the pork
The first step is to sear all sides of the pork roast. If you’re using the Instant Pot, you can do this easily with the Sauté function.
Remove the roast from the Instant Pot. Put the apple juice or broth in and whisk the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits (otherwise, your Instant Pot will start screaming “burn” when you try to turn it on).
Step 2: Pressure Cook
Next, return the pork roast to the Instant Pot, add the vegetables and apples around the edges, and put the sauerkraut on top of the roast. Sprinkle the caraway seeds and rosemary on top.
For a pork shoulder or butt, pressure cook on high for 45 minutes (2lb roast). Add more time for a larger roast.
For a pork loin, leg, or sirloin roast, pressure cook on high for 20 minutes (2lb roast). Add more time for a larger roast.
Allow for a 15-minute natural pressure release. Most of the pressure will be out by this point.
For a pork shoulder/butt, you want to reach 190-200 degrees F. This will ensure the pork is nice and tender but not overcooked. For a pork loin or leg, it’s best not to exceed 150 degrees F, because it tends to dry out after that. Even if it goes over, it won’t ruin it. The juices from the sauerkraut will be poured over the top to combat dryness.
How to Serve
Once the cooking is done, remove the pork from the pot and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it. To serve the pork, pile up the sauerkraut on a serving platter and place the sliced pork on top. If you want, you could also serve it over mashed potatoes or with boiled potatoes. In Germany, almost no meal is served without potatoes!
For Slow Cooker Pork
If you’re wanting to cook this dish in the slow cooker, follow all the instructions above except for putting it all in the slow cooker instead of the Instant Pot. Put the lid on and set it to cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Don’t open the lid during cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sear the pork before cooking?
While not necessary for cooking we highly recommend it. Searing the outside adds immense flavor to the pork. It will also add flavor to the broth that you use to deglaze the pot and use for cooking. We like to use this flavorful broth to make gravy to serve with the roast.
Why is sauerkraut a New Year’s tradition?
Eating this foods is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. You might even be blessed with “as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of Sauerkraut”, according to the German Food Guide.
How long does sauerkraut keep in the refrigerator?
It should stay fresh for several months after opening if you are sealing it up after each use. Always use a clean utensil to remove the kraut from the jar so you don’t introduce bacteria. If it starts to smell or has a weird texture or color throw it away immediately.
Can this easy pork and sauerkraut be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze any leftovers you have from this dish. If you’re only cooking for two, you might find that a 2-3 pound roast is too big for just two people, but you can pack away half of it for another meal later on. Just pack it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will keep for at least 3 months in the freezer.
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Instant Pot Pork Roast & Sauerkraut Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless pork roast (shoulder or butt prefered)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 16 ounces sauerkraut with liquid
- 1 cup apple juice or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh rosemary
- 1-2 teaspoons caraway seeds optional
- 1 small apple peeled and sliced
- 1/2 onion cut in chunks
- 2 carrots sliced
Instructions
- Season the pork with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot. When it’s hot, add the cooking oil. Add the pork roast and brown on both sides. Remove from the pot. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Pour the apple juice or chicken stock into the pot and whisk quickly to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the apple, onion, and carrots to the pot. Place the pork in the pot. Pile the sauerkraut up on top of the pork. Sprinkle with rosemary and caraway seeds.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes (for pork shoulder or butt) or 25 minutes (for pork loin or leg). When the cook time is over, allow the pot to release pressure naturally.
- Take the pork out of the pot to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Drain the sauerkraut and place it on a platter. Add the sliced pork on top and pour some of the liquid over the top.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Pork shoulder or butt is best for this recipe because it doesn’t risk becoming overcooked and will still be tender and juicy. A loin or leg will need less cooking and can become dry if overcooked.
- If your roast is bigger than 2 pounds, it will need more time to cook.
- Using apple juice instead of chicken broth in this recipe makes the dish sweeter.
Nutrition
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Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes.
This recipe looks so delicious! I just read recently that long strands of sauerkraut represent a long life. I love good luck traditions like that! I can’t wait to try this out. Thank you for sharing!
I haven’t heard that before! I hope you have lots of long strands of sauerkraut when you try this recipe.
Super easy recipe, packed with flavor. The pork was falling apart, super moist and tender. The perfect blend of sweetness from the apple juice and apple plus the earthiness of the rosemary. We topped it with a dollop of sour cream for a bit of cool flavors. Totally tasty!
Thanks for your review, Amber. I’m happy you liked it! Sour cream is a great idea for the topping.
Can I use pork chops
Yes, you can use pork chops, but the cook time will be greatly reduced. I recommend 15 minutes for thick bone-in chops, and only 8 minutes for under 1″ thick chops.
Any tips/thoughts on if my roast is partly frozen still? Is it possible to adjust and still make it? Looks delicious and I will hopefully be making it sooner rather than later!
You can definitely still cook it from frozen in the Instant Pot. You’ll have to skip the initial step of browning it, but still season it. Then cook for 75 minutes in the IP.
I doubled the apples, onions, carrots, and rosemary and used Reisling wine instead of apple juice for the liquid for four ppl on New Year’s Day. It was fabulous! Every drop was gone! My husband made smashed red potatoes w fresh garlic and butter to go with it and we topped with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Delish! Will make again soon!
That sounds fantastic, Lori. Great variation to use the wine!
This is my first time making Sauerkraut on an Instant Pot. We have a huge garden and we make our own sauerkraut. Anyway, I cooked the pork sirloin on the stove and followed the recipe. We just finished eating it and it was very delicious. Most definitely, we will make it again. Thank you!!
It’s great you can make your own with your own cabbage! I’m glad you liked the recipe.
I can’t wait to make this fantastic sounding recipe I have one question I am using small country style ribs boneless how long do I cook them with sauerkraut in the instant pot
Hi Carol, country-style ribs will take considerably less time to cook than a full roast. If the pieces are around 3″ thick, I would cook them for 40 minutes in the Instant Pot.
im making large pork roast and saurkraut as i type– i didnt see where you posted which of the 3 pressure settings you used? i chose medium to be safe–can cook longer if needed– also my mother used to add caroway seeds to it — which i did- makes good flavor!
Hi Calvin. I hope your pork turned out great. I always cook in the Instant Pot on high pressure. It likely won’t get as tender on medium for the same length of time.
I only have a slow cooker. How long do I cook for & on what setting?
Janet, in the slow cooker you can do 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. It does depend on the size of your pork roast.
Looking forward to making this. I do have a 3 lb. bone-in pork shoulder. Can you tell me the pressure cooking time for the bone-in please?
I’d cook the bone in piece for such as long. The rule of thumb is 15 minutes per pound. If the roast is 3 pounds, you set it to pressure cook for 45 minutes.
I just made this with a 3 lb bone-in pork shoulder. (it was bigger but I cut some meat off for pork chunks pizzaiola.) I followed directions to a t and this Pork and Sauerkraut recipe came out delicious! Fall off the bone delicious! This is going in my meal rotation for sure. Thank you Laura!
So glad to hear that it turned out well, Jean. How much time did you leave it in for?
I’ve always loved making this at the holidays, but never made it in the IP until now. It’s great. Thanks for sharing.
It is a tradition for us around the holidays as well. The Instant Pot makes it so much faster. Glad you liked it Rachel.
I left the carrot out because I didn’t have one and I didn’t peel the apple -feeling lazy- and I really don’t think it needed the carrot, but the apple does need to be peeled – ha. I’ll do it next time.
I agree – the apple does need to be peeled. It’ll be more enjoyable that way.
Do I have to sear the pork first? I never did that when I cooked this in the slow cooker. It seems like just an extra step that would take more time. Was hoping this would be easy.
You don’t have to sear the roast. It does help build flavor but isn’t necessary if you are pressed for time.
I really liked it and so did my wife. We liked the sweetness that the apples added to the sauce.
Glad you liked it Jimmy! We always have this dish for New Years, its one of our favorites!
Easy New Years meal.
Love it. I did have to cook the pork for longer, but it was a really big roast. I’m assuming its just bigger than yours.
That’s probably true. Also, some Instant Pots might vary. Glad it worked out for you.