Well, New Year’s Eve is right around the corner. I can’t tell you where 2014 went. It is such a blur. We have to have our traditional New Year’s
Eve dinner of sauerkraut and pork with black-eyed peas and mashed potatoes. I think that is Southern through and through. I have 2 crock pots filled with pork and sauerkraut that will be ready tomorrow night. You still have plenty of time to make your dish. I like to cut the taste of the sauerkraut so I do mine a little differently. No matter how you do it–it is a great meal!
Pork and Sauerkraut
2) 2 pound bags of Snow Floss Sauerkraut (available at your local meat market)
5 pound trimmed pork butt (available at your butcher shop)
1 to 2 Tablespoons of Michael’s Special Seasoning (available at Sherman Provision)
4 apples peeled, cored and sliced
2 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup
Turn your crock pot on high. Open the bags of sauerkraut and put them in the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the sliced apples and Maple Syrup on top of the sauerkraut. Season the pork butt with Michael’s Special Seasoning and place the pork butt, fat side up, on top and put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on high for about 6 hours. Your pork should be done enough to fall off the bone. If it isn’t to that stage cook it a little longer. Remove the pork butt and pull it from the bones and take any extra fat off as well. Return and mix with the sauerkraut and apples. Cook an additional 2 hours on low.
Black Eyed Peas
2 Pounds of dried Black Eyed Peas
1/2 pound of chopped smoked ham (The Butcher’s Cottage Hams are great for this)
1/2 onion, chopped
Soak peas overnight. Drain in a colander and rinse. Put the Black Eyed Peas, smoked ham and onions in a pot. Cover the peas with water (about 1 inch above the peas in good) and bring to a boil. Turn to simmer, cover and cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Do this ahead so you just have to warm up the peas. They don’t take as long to cook as other dried beans. You can also use frozen black-eyed peas and cooking time is cut to 45 minutes.
Our wish for you is a blessed 2015. May this be your best year yet! Until next time…From our Butcher Block to your Table.
