The German Staple You Should Cook Pork Chops With For Immense Flavor

If you know anything about pork chops, you know they need to be juicy to be good. And even when they are cooked to tender perfection, they often require a few additional ingredients to bump up their flavor. On their own, they have a mild, savory taste, which is why we love adding in elements like ranch seasoning to take them to the next level or honey mustard for some sweet tang. But if you want to increase both your pork chops' juiciness and flavor, cook them with sauerkraut.

In case you're unfamiliar with it, sauerkraut is basically fermented cabbage. Although it may have originally come from Mongolian nomads, it plays a big role in modern-day German cuisine. And in addition to the health benefits associated with sauerkraut (like the fact that it contains probiotics, which are good for your gut), it makes for a great pork chop pairing. Unlike the meat, this fermented ingredient is a potent combination of sour and a little salty, so it creates a nice flavor juxtaposition with your protein. Plus, cooking the pork in the sauerkraut's juices means your chops will soak up all that good moisture.

Another beautiful part about cooking pork chops with sauerkraut is that it's a very simple process. You can drain your sauerkraut (and it will still release some liquid when it cooks), but for the most juices possible, just use it out of the jar as-is. You will, however, want to pat your pork chops dry, then throw them on the stove for a quick sear. This shouldn't take more than five minutes per side at medium-high heat, but it's an important step for creating a brown outer layer and locking in moisture.

When it's done, transfer your meat to a baking dish or Dutch oven. Feel free to combine your sauerkraut with other cozy ingredients that will add to this dish's flavor, such as chopped apples, potatoes, and onion, or brown sugar and apple cider or juice. Then, you can either spread out your mixture as a bed for your pork chops or spoon it over your meat. Either way, cover your dish to lock in all those juices and bake it until the center of the protein reads 145 degrees Fahrenheit (about 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit) on a meat thermometer. You can serve this dish as-is, over some German spaetzle, or alongside crusty bread to mop up excess liquid.