Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F, with oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Pat the pork dry and sprinkle the entire roast with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. When the olive oil starts to shimmer, gently place the pork roast into the pan; sear on all sides until golden brown – about 5 minutes per side.

In a lidded 6-quart Dutch Oven, place the sauerkraut all over the bottom. Sprinkle the caraway seeds, onions, apples and brown sugar over the top. Place the seared pork roast on top, nestling it slightly down in the sauerkraut. (If you’ve drained yours sauerkraut, add the water. If you did not you do not need the water.) You want at least a cup of liquid in the pot.

Cover tightly with a lid and bake for about 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads between 145F-150F. While it’s cooking, check the pot to ensure that the roast is not drying out. If needed, add more water. Remove from the oven once the thermometer reads 145F-150F. Carefully remove the roast from the pan and place on a cutting board covering loosely with foil.

Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Crock Pot Instructions:
If you want to make this in the crock pot, pan sear the meat following the recipe and place it in the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot. Add in the sauerkraut, caraway seeds, onions, brown sugar and pork (with water, if you drained the kraut). Cover and cook on low for about 8-9 hours. OR If you want your sauerkraut to retain more ‘bite’ cook the pork for about 6 hours without the kraut (make sure to add liquid though!) and then add the kraut in the last few hours of cooking!

Adding Apples:
I add the apple to help curb the bitterness of the sauerkraut, plus it adds an incredible depth of flavor to the kraut! If you like it more bitter, then omit the apple.

Adding Brown Sugar
Adding sugar is completely optional depending on how bitter/sour you like your sauerkraut. If the kraut is really bitter, add the full amount of sugar, starting with 1/4 cup, if desired.

Prevent it from drying out
You need to ensure that your pot has a tight seal. If it does not, add foil to cover the pot and then the lid. If you do not have a lid, ensure that the foil is fitted around the edges snugly.