Last night we had a couple of friends over for dinner and I made pork and sauerkraut. Usually I just do pork chops, cover in sauerkraut and bake until done but last night I was ambitious. I made an actual pork loin for the very first time and it turned out fantastic!
In a large, oval casserole dish I did the following: Put a little bit of the sauerkraut in the bottom of the dish to prevent the meat from sticking, place loin on top of that and season with a little bit of black pepper. Cover the loin with the rest of the sauerkraut and bake at 350 for 2 hours. My pork loin was just under 3 pounds and I used a meat thermometer to be sure it was done. I was shooting for a core temp of 170 degrees but I ended up with 185. I was afraid the meat would be dry but it was surprisingly moist and everybody loved it!
I served it with mashed potatoes. I made the regular version with milk and butter for everybody else and made a smaller amount with chicken broth for myself. Be careful, though. Some brands of chicken broth contain soy! I use the Progresso broth.... no soy and it has a great flavor.
My girlfriend brought over a salad and some fresh green beans that she sauteed in olive oil and Morton's Nature's Seasons, which I had never tried but it was great! On the salad I used some balsamic vinaigrette that I made myself. To make this I combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. I also shake in a little bit of garlic powder. All of this is to taste, I don't have an exact recipe.... but I do know that this is a strong dressing and a little bit goes a long way!
In a large, oval casserole dish I did the following: Put a little bit of the sauerkraut in the bottom of the dish to prevent the meat from sticking, place loin on top of that and season with a little bit of black pepper. Cover the loin with the rest of the sauerkraut and bake at 350 for 2 hours. My pork loin was just under 3 pounds and I used a meat thermometer to be sure it was done. I was shooting for a core temp of 170 degrees but I ended up with 185. I was afraid the meat would be dry but it was surprisingly moist and everybody loved it!
I served it with mashed potatoes. I made the regular version with milk and butter for everybody else and made a smaller amount with chicken broth for myself. Be careful, though. Some brands of chicken broth contain soy! I use the Progresso broth.... no soy and it has a great flavor.
My girlfriend brought over a salad and some fresh green beans that she sauteed in olive oil and Morton's Nature's Seasons, which I had never tried but it was great! On the salad I used some balsamic vinaigrette that I made myself. To make this I combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. I also shake in a little bit of garlic powder. All of this is to taste, I don't have an exact recipe.... but I do know that this is a strong dressing and a little bit goes a long way!
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