Herb-Crusted Roast Pork Loin with Sauerkraut

When I was young, my mother made pork roast with the sauerkraut baked along with the meat. Family lore has it that the first time she made it, she misunderstood the instructions given to her, and she and my Dad liked the result so much that she always did it that way henceforth. I love the way that baking the sauerkraut mellows it a bit, yet still adds a bit of nice tartness to the meat. In this version, we get additional tang from the addition of a mustard, herb and black peppercorn crust.

A roast is hardly what comes to mind when I think of thrifty eating, but when I was looking recently to make dinner for guests and I saw a bone-in loin for $1.19/lb., it turned out to be an economical choice, indeed. It fed four generously, and leftovers went on to become sandwiches, an addition to homemade spaghetti sauce, and the remnants and bones the base for a bean soup. This could have easily served 8 people. I wish I had a photo of this one, because it really was lovely!


1/4 cup spicy brown or country style prepared mustard
1/2 tbsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. powdered bay leaf
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or dried, and soaked in hot water for a bit to rehydrate)
2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 6-8 lb. loin of pork, bone in (you can use boneless, but you'll need to look up and alter the cooking time)

2 tbsp. black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 32 oz. refrigerated bag of sauerkraut

Mix together the first 6 ingredients. If necessary, trim extra fat off meat. (Most meat departments sell them very well-trimmed these days.) Rub mustard mixture all over pork roast, and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain sauerkraut, and spread a layer over the bottom of the roasting pan, large enough to make a base on which to place the meat. Take remaining peppercorns, and carefully spread them all over the coated roast, taking care to cover all areas evenly. If necessary, add a little more mustard so that the peppercorns stick. You may have some peppercorns left over, depending on the surface area of the roast. Set roast on the sauerkraut, bone side down.

Put meat into oven and then turn temperature down to 350 degrees. Roast for 20-25 minutes per pound, until meat thermometer in the center of the roast registers 155 degrees, or up to 165 if you prefer it well-done. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Enjoy.