I came to blog my recipe then through a search, discovered I posted one last year! That was in the roasting pan though, and it was a pork loin rib half. This year, I put a pork shoulder roast in the crock pot… and made some dumplings 2 ways to go with it!

Ingredients:

• 6 lb. pork shoulder roast 
• 2 bags of sauerkraut (Beware, “Bavarian style” is a secret code meaning it has caraway seeds & tastes like royal ass. Unless you like caraway seeds or royal ass. I avoid it for diverticulitis reasons anyway.)
• 1 bottle of beer. I used Straub Amber again this year, but I also like to use Yuengling Traditional Lager. (You could also use Penn Pilsner, Stoney’s, Shiner Bock, or Smithwick’s Red Ale… Don’t be ruining it with Budweiser, Coors or Iron City.)
• Apple Juice (Maybe ½ cup?)
• 2 Apples (I like Golden Crisp or Honey Crisp)
• 1 Spanish Onion (Or a sweet or yellow onion or whatever you like.)
• ½ teaspoon-ish Minced Garlic
• Salt (or Season All / Seasoned Salt)
• Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika
• Mustard Powder
• Brown Sugar (Maybe ¼ cup?)
• Pillsbury Grands Biscuit Dough

Instructions:

1. Drain & rinse the sauerkraut, unless you’re into clearing the pluming from the top down.
2. Slice the apples & onions then place them on the bottom of the slow cooker/crock pot, add that beer & apple juice. Add some spices.
3. Put the roast in, fat side up. Add some spices.
4. Cover it with the rinsed sauerkraut. Add some spices.
5. Add that brown sugar sprinkled all over the top, Add some more spices.
6. I put it on low for 8 hours & it was over-cooked & falling apart, but in a good way.
7. Cook it to 145° F according to the FDA, 160° according to my thermometer with the numbers beside the pig icon, or 203° if you want it to fall apart.
8. Cut up 4 of the Pillsbury biscuits into 4 pieces each, pop ’em into the crock pot on the last half hour. I sealed the inside of the lid with foil at that point because I read you should do that online. (Don’t burn yourself!)
9. Let it rest a bit when you pull it out. That’s just good life advice in general.

I cooked the other 4 biscuits, also cut into 4’s, in my stock pot: 

1. I tossed some beer, water, apple juice, & ham bullion into my stock pot, then brought it to a boil.
2. I dropped in the dumpling pieces, and brought it down to a simmer. That’s about a 2 on my stovetop dial.
3. I boiled for 10 minutes with the lid off, then for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Tips:

• Damnit, I forgot to do this part: Sear the pork roast on all sides. I used a large fork to control it along with some tongs. I used a hot pan with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil & a pat of butter. You just want to sear the outsides, not cook the meat. I did add a bit of seasonings first.
• I put onion powder on the apple slices and garlic powder on the onion slices… because why not? Does anyone else do stuff this?
• You could try to roast it.
• I liked the dumplings from the crock pot more than the ones from the stock pot. they were more fluffy/biscuity and less… wet. They both tasted pretty good & were certainly edible though.

What are your New Year’s traditions and recipes? Did you see my New Year’s appetizers? I’ll take any & all tips on dumplings! I haven’t had luck with the Bisquick variety and I never tried scratch.