New Year's Day Tradition

I picked this recipe up in a previous life from someone who was passionate about family celebrations. It is a variation of choucroute garni - an Americanized one. It's easy, you assemble it and put it in a slow oven for hours. It does require chopping several items. My children gave me a wonderful chopper from William Sonoma as my Merry Birthday present. The perfectly sized pieces of food produced is orgasmic.

Of course the purpose of eating sauerkraut and pork is all about luck. For Lee it's about eating black-eyed peas. To accomodate her need for luck I used the black eyed pea dip from the Homesick Texan's website. I also made buffalo wing dip because I had some leftover chicken from the chicken enchiladas we ate on NYE. Lee's brother called to wish her a Happy New Year and told her of yet another tradition - Mexican. They eat 12 grapes on New Year's Day. Now that sounds easy!

New Year's Day Sauerkraut

300 degree oven

2 jars of crispy sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
3 carrots cut in small dice
1 C. chopped onion
2 large apples cored and sliced and then the slices halved
6 T. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. peppercorns
6 cloves garlic finely minced
bacon slices (line the cooking pot)
3 lbs. country pork ribs
1/2 to 3/4 or more bottle dry white wine

Using a heavy pot with a tight lid that can go in the oven or a baking dish you can top tightly with foil assemble:

line the pot with the bacon strips
*spread 1/4 of the sauerkraut in the bottom of the pan
sprinkle with 1/3 carrots, apples, peppercorns, garlic
sprinkle 2 T. dark brown sugar
place 1/3 of the ribs on top
drizzle 1/4 of the wine on the top
repeat two more layers like the one above starting at the *
cover with the remaining sauerkraut
pour remaining wine over the casserole try to make sure that all of the top sauerkraut gets a drink of wine

Place in oven for 3-4 hours. It can go longer. The meat will just be more amazingly tender. I serve it with mashed potatoes and a vegetable or salad.

Serve to those people you want to see every year on New Year's Day.