Country Spare Ribs and Kraut Braised In Apple Cider with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Usually I wait to have this, rather dull in appearance but huge in flavor, meal until the weather turns a bit colder, but the dinner spirit moved me last night and I had to oblige.  The slightly pungent but equally enticing aroma of sauerkraut slowly simmering in the kitchen has no choice but to harken memories of Thanksgiving meals past.  I have mentioned many times before that Baltimore, my hometown, has a tradition of serving sauerkraut with most meals wherein poultry is served, but most definitely when turkey is the main attraction. So when the scent of sauerkraut wafts through the house I can not help but feel nostalgic.  While sauerkraut and poultry is probably the most common combination, there certainly is nothing wrong with a pairing of kraut and country pork ribs.  Serve them along side a pile of billowy buttermilk mashed potatoes and be sure to use the kraut drippings as gravy!

Country Pork Ribs Kraut Braised in Apple Cider
1 large jar of sauerkraut
country pork spare ribs
1 granny smith apple, peeled, seeded and cut into eighths
1 McIntosh apple, peeled, seeded and cut into eighths
apple cider
dry white wine
2 tablespoons fennel seed, coarsely cracked
coarse ground pepper
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large oven proof skillet or dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat until just smoking.  Combine fennel, salt and pepper and liberally season pork ribs.  Place ribs in hot skillet and brown on all sides.  Remove ribs to a plate.  Add apples to the skillet and cook just a minute to two to absorb some of the flavor in the pan.  Add about 1 cup of white wine and deglaze the pan.  Add sauerkraut and pork ribs back to the pan and pour over enough apple cider to cover half way up the ribs.  Tightly cover and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until pork is tender and falls off the bone.     

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Yukon Gold potatoes
milk
buttermilk
butter
chives
salt
pepper

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.  Place over a high burner and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to keep potatoes at a gentle boil and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until they are fork tender.  Heat a couple of tablespoons of butter and a 1/2 cup milk or so together.  Drain potatoes and return to hot pot.  Pour milk and butter mixture over potatoes and mash together.  Add several tablespoons of buttermilk and stir vigorously.  Add salt, pepper and chives to season and stir to combine.  Serve immediately.