This slow cooker 5-ingredient sauerkraut pork is the kind of cozy supper that’s been on Midwestern tables for generations. It’s the sort of meal my mother would put on before church on a Sunday morning: a good pork roast tucked into the slow cooker, then a jar of sauerkraut and a few pantry staples poured right over the top. By the time you’re ready to eat, the house smells like home—warm, tangy, and rich. Everything happens in one pot, and you don’t need to fuss with browning or special techniques. Just layer, pour, and let it go low and slow until the pork is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
Serve this sauerkraut pork spooned over a bed of buttery mashed potatoes or simple boiled potatoes tossed with a little parsley. It’s also wonderful alongside buttered egg noodles or rye bread to soak up the juices. A side of green beans, roasted carrots, or a crisp cucumber salad brings a bit of freshness to the plate. At my table, we pass a crock of mustard and a bowl of applesauce—those sweet and sharp notes play so nicely with the tangy sauerkraut and rich pork.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Sauerkraut Pork
Ingredients
3 to 4 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork butt roast
1 (24–32 ounce) jar sauerkraut, with its juice
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (or 2 teaspoons if you prefer milder flavor)
1 (24–32 ounce) jar sauerkraut, with its juice
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (or 2 teaspoons if you prefer milder flavor)
Directions
Place the pork roast in the bottom of a large slow cooker, fat side up if it has a cap of fat. This lets the fat baste the meat as it cooks.
Scatter the sliced onion evenly over and around the pork roast in the slow cooker.
In a medium bowl or measuring pitcher, stir together the jarred sauerkraut (including all the juice), the applesauce, and the caraway seeds until everything is loosely combined.
Pour the sauerkraut mixture evenly over the pork roast in the slow cooker, making sure the meat is mostly covered with sauerkraut and liquid. It’s fine if some of the roast peeks through.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Once cooked, use two forks to gently pull the pork into large chunks or shreds right in the slow cooker, mixing it with the sauerkraut and onions. Taste and add a little salt and black pepper if needed.
Ladle the pork and sauerkraut into shallow bowls or onto plates, making sure everyone gets some of the tangy juices. Serve hot with your favorite hearty sides.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly sweeter, more old-fashioned flavor, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the sauerkraut and applesauce before pouring it over the pork. If you like a stronger savory note, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme to the sauerkraut mixture. You can also tuck 2 or 3 peeled, quartered potatoes and a few carrot chunks around the pork before you pour the sauerkraut mixture on top, turning this into more of a full one-pot meal. If you don’t care for caraway, simply leave it out or replace it with 1 teaspoon of dried dill for a different but still comforting flavor. For a slightly leaner dish, use a pork loin roast instead of shoulder and check it a bit earlier so it doesn’t dry out. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for several days and reheat beautifully; they’re excellent piled onto toasted buns with a little mustard for easy sandwiches the next day.