New Years Good Luck Pork and Sauerkraut

This year for New Years, I decided to do things up right. I am part German, and I read all the superstitions and things that different cultures do to insure a good New Year. I found this little ditty on Shine:

"The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. Roast suckling pig is served for New Year's in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria—Austrians are also known to decorate the table with miniature pigs made of marzipan. Different pork dishes such as pig's feet are enjoyed in Sweden while Germans feast on roast pork and sausages. Pork is also consumed in Italy and the United States, where thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth and prosperity."

and

"Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard, are consumed at New Year's in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, the Germans consume sauerkraut (cabbage) while in the southern United States, collards are the green of choice. It's widely believed that the more greens one eats the larger one's fortune next year."

So, I got to work looking for recipes that would have something along these lines. I found a few and decided to kind of mix and match. What I ended up making was glorious. At least it made the husband happy, and he hates sauerkraut. I will say this... the flavor was excellent, but the keilbasa ended up not cooking very nicely. It was kind of a mealy texture and over salty. But it added a really great flavor to everything else.

Good Luck Pork and Sauerkraut for New Years Day

2-3 # Pork Roast
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Fresh Thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 # Keilbasa, cut in 2-3 inch slices
32 oz. Sauerkraut
1 bottle of beer - a sweeter beer is better, we used an apricot ale.

Turn on broiler.
Cover roast in olive oil and sprinkle the thyme, salt and pepper on it.
Put roast in over for about ten minutes, until it starts showing some brown edges.

While that is cooking, get the crock pot ready: spray it non-stick spray, put the sauerkraut along the bottom, and then lay the keilbasa around the edges.

When the roast is done, Put it right in the middle.
Pour the beer over the whole thing.

Cook on low for about 8-9 hours.

We tried to eat the keilbasa, but it just had that weird texture, and I could feel my ankles swelling as I ate, so I threw it away.

The thing I love about meat that gets cooked in the crock pot is that it just falls apart. No knives needed, just forks. The flavor on this was really good. I may make it another time, not just for New Years.