Lesson #28: Pork Roast And Sauerkraut

Low Carb Cooking 101

The chrysanthemums, sweet autumn clematis, and Japanese toad lilies are blooming, I had to scrape frost off my car windows earlier this week. That makes it official: fall is here. In my family, fall means it’s time to start cooking pork.

I was looking back through previous Low Carb Cooking 101 lessons, and I was amazed that I had only shared one pork recipe with you. Autumn and winter aren’t the only times I serve pork, for crying out loud. We have pork for dinner at least once every ten days or so, usually pork roast, pork chops, or pork steaks. But I really do like pork most in the fall and winter.

Pork is easy to prepare, and is often on sale. My local grocery store has pork roasts on sale for $1.99 a pound every couple of months, and I always buy one or more of the big ones. They are usually 5 or 6 pounds, but if I can fine one bigger than that I get it.

These roasts are look sort of like big, pale, Tootsie Rolls, and are generally cut in half lengthwise. I cut each half in half again before I cook or freeze the meat. Each quarter of a roast serves my family of 4 nicely without much left over. If I want more cooked pork for leftovers or recipes requiring cooked pork, I cook two of the quarters.

The mistake most people make with pork is to overcook it. My mother was the queen of dry, overcooked pork. She grew up when trichinosis was still a problem in pork products, and was so fearful of contracting the parasite that she literally incinerated pork. Mom’s theory was that it was better to be safe than sorry. (Of course, she also could not watch medical shows on television because she “caught” the featured disease each week. Her doctor finally gave up on her and wrote her a prescription which said, “Stop watching Dr. Kildare.” She didn’t read it before she went to the pharmacy to have it filled, and boy, was she mad when the pharmacist started laughing and showed it to her!)

But modern agricultural practices have virtually eliminated Trichinella spiralis, the small nematode worm whose larval state is found in the voluntary muscles of flesh-eating mammals such as human beings and swine. While I would never eat pork rare, it doesn’t have to be cooked so well done that it’s dry.

The best way to insure that you don’t overcook pork is to use an instant meat thermometer. Instant meat thermometers are inexpensive and invaluable. You no longer have to slice into roasts, chickens, or turkeys to see if there’s any pink left. You can insert the thermometer and it will almost instantly tell you the interior temperature of the meat. I love mine.

Ah, but on to tonight’s menu:

• Pork Roast With Sauerkraut
• Stir-Fried Green Beans
• Crockpot Zapple Wedges

Here’s the shopping list for the meal. You may very well already have some of these things on hand:

• 1 2 to 3-pound pork roast (or half of a larger roast)
• 1 16-ounce bag fresh sauerkraut (You can use canned sauerkraut, but fresh in infinitely better. You’ll find the fresh sauerkraut in the meat department.)
• 1 large jicama
• 1 pound frozen cut green beans
• butter
• olive oil
• 2 – 3 packets sugar free apple cider drink mix
• 2 packets Splenda
• not/Starch (optional)
• apple pie spice
• salt
• pepper
• 1 roasting bag (optional)

Here’s the game plan:

The Crockpot Zapples must be made ahead of time. You can start them the night before, but you can also make them several days ahead of time and then reheat them in a casserole in the oven while the pork roast cooks.

About an hour and a half before you want to serve the meal, prepare the pork roast and put it in the oven. While the roast is cooking, thaw the green beans and set the table.
Check the Zapples and thicken the sauce if you wish to serve it. If you are reheating the Zapples, place them in a casserole in the oven after half an hour.

This won’t take an hour and a half, so relax for a bit.

When the pork roast is out of the oven and resting, cook the Stir Fried Green Beans according to the recipe directions.

Remove the pork roast from the roasting bag or casserole, leaving the sauerkraut inside. Slice the pork roast thinly.

Place a bed of sauerkraut on each plate and top it with slices of pork roast. Serve the Stir-Fried Green Beans and Crockpot Zapples, and sit down to a well-deserved, relaxing meal.

And, finally, here’s the recipes:

Pork Roast With Sauerkraut

This recipe is simplicity itself.

• 1 3 – 4-pound boneless pork roast, thawed
• 1 16-ounce bag fresh sauerkraut, undrained
• 1 large roasting bag (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Open the roasting bag and cut several slits in the top to let the steam escape. Place the bag on the bottom of a broiler pan (not the rack), or in a large baking dish or casserole. (***See note.)

Rinse the pork roast and pat it dry. Place the roast in the roasting bag. Pour the sauerkraut and it’s liquid over the roast. Close the roasting bag with the twist tie that comes with it.

Place the pork in the oven and roast for 20 minutes per pound, approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes. (After the first hour check the roast for doneness with an instant meat thermometer. When the pork registers 160 degrees on the instant meat thermometer, it’s done.)

Take the roast out of the oven and cut the top of the bag open. Let the roast rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4 to 6 generously, and reheats well.

Sliced thinly, it makes terrific “sandwiches” layered with crisp lettuce, sliced onions, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. For an extra kick, sprinkle the pork with some garlic salt.

*** Note: If you don’t have a roasting bag, follow the recipe directions, but place the roast and sauerkraut in a casserole with a lid. Cover it while cooking.

Stir-Fried Green Beans

I like to serve these beans with Pork Roast and Sauerkraut because the pork and sauerkraut are sort of soft, and these beans and nice and crunchy.

• 1 pound frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained
• 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil (a little more if necessary)
• 2 – 3 tablespoons butter
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the thawed green beans, stirring and tossing them so that they are coated with the olive oil. Continue to stir and toss the beans for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are just crisp-tender.
Remove the skillet from the heat.

Add the butter to the beans in the skillet and toss until the butter is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the Italian dressing and green beans.

Stir fry for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing the beans frequently, until the beans are crisp-tender.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Crockpot Zapple Wedges

Apples always taste good with pork, and Crockpot Zapple Wedges are reminiscent of delicious, hot scalloped apples.

• 1 large jicama, peeled and sliced (***See note.)
• 2-3 packets sugar free apple cider drink mix
• 2 packets Splenda
• 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 2 cups hot water
• not/Starch (optional)

Place the sliced and peeled jicama in the bottom of the crockpot

Dissolve the sugar free apple cider drink mix, Splenda, and apple pie spice in the hot water. Pour the mixture over the apples.

Turn the crockpot on low and cook the jicama for 24 hours. (Yes, 24 hours. Jicama is one tough vegetable.)

Serve the Zapples hot.

If you wish, you can thicken some of the liquid that they cooked in with not/Starch to make a sauce. Simply reduce the amount of liquid by boiling in on the stove until there is about 1 cup left (the house will smell wonderful!) and then add a teaspoon or two of not/Starch to the liquid to thicken it.

Serves 4 to 6. Reheats well.

***Note: Peeling jicama is not fun, but you can accomplish it with a minimum of frustration and swearing by remembering that you cannot peel it round and round like an apple.

Peeling jicama is much easier if you slice a thin slice off the top and bottom of the jicama, then use a sharp knife to loosen thin strips of the peel, beginning at the top or bottom. When you have enough peel loose, put down the knife and pull downwards on the peel. You should be able to pull off substantial strips of peel this way, although you’ll be darn lucky if you can get it all by working from one end.

When you have removed as much peel as you can from one end of the jicama, flip it over and repeat the process from the other end.

Use the knife to remove any remaining peel, then rinse off the peeled jicama before slicing.