Warm Weather Pork and Sauerkraut

Grilled Country Style Pork Ribs with Mustard BBQ Sauce and Kraut Slaw

Well, my friends, spring is here and warm weather is slowly creeping upon us. Let's grill before another snow storm hits! Today on the grill we are doing a warm weather version of pork and sauerkraut. We are taking the flavors of a traditional New Years meal for good luck (Pork symbolizes riches and prosperity and Sauerkraut a long healthy life) and making them lighter. It's like reminding the good fortune fairies out there that we are still here...and we like good food. Without further adue, let's get cooking...

The Kraut Slaw

We came across an old country store one day that had signs posted of homemade sauerkraut. Some of the best food comes from the most unexpected of places and the kindest of people.

We bought 2 one pound packages of sauerkraut from the nicest couple. The told us stories of how the entire family gets together every year and helps shred the hundreds of pounds of cabbage they use to make their kraut. It contains only 2 ingredients, cabbage and salt. We saw pictures of their grandchildren and when we left, it was like saying goodbye to friends and not strangers.

Homemade kraut has such a different flavor than the store bought kraut. It's fresher, crisper...it's perfect for our version of coleslaw.

I used some of the same ingredients as our cold weather version and the flavors married beautifully.

Kraut Slaw may sound a bit offbeat, but once you try it, trust me, you might find off-beat to be a really good thing.

 

1 lb Sauerkraut, fresh if possible, drained and rinsed

1/2 Red Pepper, sliced into thin, short strips

1/2 Red Onion, sliced into thin, short strips

1 Granny Smith Apple, sliced into thin, short strips

3-4 Thick Slices of Peppered Bacon, fried then crumbled

 Combine ingredients.

 

 1/2 Cup Mayo

1/2 Cup Buttermilk

1 Tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

3-4 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

A Sprinkling of Caraway Seeds

 

 Mix and taste...adjust sugar if need be.

Combine dressing and slaw and let sit a couple hours for the flavors to marry.

 

The Pork Ribs

 

Mustard BBQ Sauce

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/3 Cup minced Onion

1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 Cup Spicy Brown Mustard

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Bay Leaf

 

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and cook until onions are softened but not brown.

 Add the rest of the ingredients and turn heat to low.

Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

3-4 lbs Country style Pork Ribs

1 Cup Apple Cider, Apple Juice, Hard Cider or Regular Beer

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Salt and pepper your ribs and set them on a rack inserted in a rimmed baking sheet.

Add enough liquid to cover bottom of the baking sheet.

This is my husband's method for steaming his ribs.

He lets them steam about an hour in whatever liquid he had on hand.

Make sure to check that the pan doesn't dry up during your hour of steaming.

 Once your ribs are steamed, all you need is to thrown them on the grill and caramelize the BBQ sauce on them...15-20 minutes.
Pictures of the actual grilling aren't available at this time due to the fact that we were grilling these around 10pm. Night grilling is not very photogenic.

 

 

To follow through with the Eastern European, German theme, serve with Potato Pancakes, Warm German Potato Salad...and some good German Beer, of course.

                                     

and now...the Polkas!!!!!

Guten Appetit, my friends!!!!!

 

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