Vepřo Knedlo Zelo Roast Pork with Sauerkraut and Bread Dumplings

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-11 · Updated 2026-10-11

The Czech national dish: caraway-and-garlic roasted pork shoulder with braised sweet-sour sauerkraut and fluffy bread dumplings to soak up the pan juices. This Czech-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 180 minutes, pairs pork shoulder (boneless, skin scored), caraway seeds, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 780 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg pork shoulder (boneless, skin scored)
• 1 tbsp caraway seeds
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 250 ml lager beer
• 250 ml water
• 2 tbsp lard or butter
• 800 g sauerkraut, drained
• 1 onion, finely diced (for sauerkraut)
• 1 apple, grated
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 small potato, finely grated (to thicken sauerkraut)
• 1 loaf (about 600 g) bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky), sliced

The roasting pan we’d use for this → Best Roasting Pans for 2026: Racks, Handles & Sizes for the Holiday Bird

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rub the pork with salt, minced garlic and caraway seeds; let stand 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
2. Step 2: Heat oven to 180°C (350°F). Scatter sliced onions in a roasting pan, set the pork skin-side up on top and pour in the beer and water.
3. Step 3: Roast for 2 to 2.5 hours, basting every 30 minutes and adding water if the pan runs dry. Increase heat to 220°C (430°F) for the final 15 minutes to crisp the skin.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, melt the lard in a saucepan and cook the diced onion until golden. Add sauerkraut, grated apple, sugar, a pinch of caraway and 150 ml water. Cover and braise 40 minutes.
5. Step 5: Stir the grated potato into the sauerkraut and simmer 5 more minutes until thickened. Adjust with vinegar, sugar and salt so it's balanced sweet-sour.
6. Step 6: Rest the pork 15 minutes. Strain the pan juices, skim excess fat and season.
7. Step 7: Steam the dumpling slices 5 minutes. Serve thick slices of pork with sauerkraut and dumplings, spooning pan juices over the top.