New Year’s Day brings my favorite holiday meal – pork and sauerkraut. This meal is a German tradition to bring luck in the new year!
I have to admit, I hate when Christmas ends. I miss the music, the lights, the tree… just everything about it! I do however, love New Year’s Day! Don’t get me wrong, New Year’s Eve is fun, but there is just something about the day after that is so relaxing. Plus, I get to eat my favorite holiday meal!
I love pork and sauerkraut – it’s such a great combination. Throw in some mashed potatoes, corn, and applesauce and I’m a happy camper. Oh, and the hot dogs. We always make hot dogs with it because when I was kid I didn’t like pork, but I loved hot dogs. Now, I love both.
**I don’t buy just any hot dogs, though. Applegate Farms are a great option because they are natural, organic, and the ingredient list is short! Premium cuts of grass fed beef are used and spices – that’s it. They taste great too. So, if there is such a thing as healthy hot dogs, these are it!
Ok, enough about hot dogs. Onto the roasted pork loin. I like to keep things simple – a spice rub is really quick, but adds a lot of flavor. A 3-4 pound roast only takes about an hour – you want to cook it at 375º and 15 minutes per pound of meat.
The spices are all pantry staples for me, so this is something you can whip up any night of the week. It’s not just for holidays!
I served my tester up with roasted green beans, and my perfect mashed potatoes, of course. I’ll be making this again on Thursday but will serve it with sauerkraut, potatoes, corn, and applesauce. My mouth is already watering!
- 3-4 lb. Pork Loin
- 2 Teaspoons Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2-3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Flour (I use gluten-free)
- Preheat the oven to 375º.
- Combine the spices in a small bowl. Rub the pork loin with the tablespoon of olive oil and then evenly coat it with the spice mixture. Make sure you coat the entire roast.
- Place the pork loin onto a rack inside a large roasting pan and pour the chicken broth into the pan, adding more throughout the roasting time if necessary. Place the pan into the hot oven and roast the pork loin until a meat thermometer registers 140º; about 45 minutes – 1 hour.
- Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover it with foil. Let it rest so the temperature rises to 145º.
- Meanwhile, drain the drippings into a measuring cup and add chicken broth to make 2 cups. Melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the flour to make a roux. Season the roux with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth until completely smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Slice the pork and place onto a serving platter. Serve the gravy alongside.
I can’t wait to make this!!
Awesome – you’ll love it!