On today's episode, we learn the time-honored Irish tradition (well at least our Irish family) of avoiding bad luck and guilt by eating Pork and Sauerkraut on New Year's Day. Join us as we delve into the rich history and cultural significance of this comforting dish, passed down through Tony's mom's generations as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
Every year, the capstone of the holiday season culminates with New Year's Day. All of the good feelings and warmth of the season begins to ebb away once the rains of January come. Much like the hardworking Irish who weather life's storms with resilience and sacrifice, this dish embodies a blend of robust flavors that mellow and mature over time.
Just as the pork slowly simmers to perfection, tenderizing with each passing hour, so too do the Irish people, their spirit growing stronger with each challenge they face.
It's a celebration of longevity and endurance, where the savory tang of sauerkraut represents the trials and tribulations of life, softened and enriched by the hearty essence of pork: a symbol of luxury and fulfillment.
Collectively they are symbols of a new day, a new start. A second act.
This year is particularly poignant, as Tony's mother recently passed away three months prior to the recording of this episode. Grief is as much a part of Joy as Pork is to Sauerkraut. And while we frequently experience both as independent emotions, together is when they feel the most profound.
Recipe
Prep Time - 15 mins
Cook Time - 3 to 4 hours
Ingredients
1 pork shoulder blade in or out.
1 large glass jar of sauerkraut (glass is preferred to tin)
1 bottle of beer
2 cups of mushrooms
2 Tbs of chicken bouillon or two cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup of carrots
1 to 2 cloves of Garlic
Bacon: 1/2 a package diced
1 cup onion diced
2 TBS mustard (yellow or Dijon)
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 apples sliced
2 tsp of caraway seeds
1/2 tsp of corriander dried
1/2 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
A little olive oil for the pan
2/Tbs of flour
1/Tbs of sugar
Salt & Pepper
Optional: Add potatoes 20 minutes to the end of cooking. Then mash the potatoes and make a gravy out of the juice or poor over and use good bread or biscuits instead of gravy.
Dutch Oven Directions
Preheat Oven to 325 degrees
Dry the meat with a paper towel
Add salt & Pepper and Flour the pork shoulder
In a large oven safe dutch oven, season the pan with some olive oil.
Brown all sides of the pork shoulder.
Add the onions and sauté until soft.
Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Once it boils, turn off the burner and put it into the oven for 3 to 4 hours.
Crock Pot Recipe
Optional: brown the shoulder as above and soften the onions.
Standard: put all ingredients in the crock pot and set the timer for 4 to 6 hours.
You can prep the night before and refrigerate and remove from the refrigerator and put into the crockpot.
Alternative
You can use this recipe for a pork tenderloin.
Saute onions until soft
Add potatoes to the above recipe.
In a large glass baking dish put all ingredients in except the tenderloin.
Bake in the oven for 1 to 2 hours at 400 degrees.
Add the tenderloin and bake for another 35 minutes.
Serve hot.
#IrishTraditions #PorkAndSauerkraut #NewYearsDay #ComfortFood #CulturalCuisine #FamilyRecipes #Resilience #Longevity #Endurance #Tradition #HomemadeCooking #SavorTheFlavor #SecondActScratch #doreenfang #savoracts #bonniefangfoundation #tonyfelice
Comments