Traditional New Years PA Dutch Lucky Pork, Sauerkraut and Mashed Potatoes

Hey there! Ben here. Roland is letting me add this traditional Pennsylvania Dutch New Year's Day dinner to the blog. The recipe is based on my Mom's recipe, but I've added more specifics - my mom, like her mom before her, tends to give directions like "put it in a hot oven for a bit, then turn the temperature down to a warm oven till it's done." I've actually added some temperatures and times for all those "detail-oriented" people out there. It goes very well with  seared carrots and parsnips.

3 or 4lbs pork roast (pork shoulder or leg)

Salt, pepper, thyme, and vegetable oil
2 stalks of celery - cut into 2" pieces
1 apple, peeled and cut into chunks
1L jar of pickled sauerkraut
4 large potatoes - peeled and cut into chunks, or ½ lb of potatoes per person
Cream and butter (for mashed potatoes)

1. In the oven place an empty baking dish with a lid (ex. a Dutch oven) that can hold the size of your roast. Preheat the oven to 450°F for 20 to 30 minutes. 
2. Rub the pork roast all over with vegetable oil and season all sides with salt, pepper and thyme.
3. In the hot oven, sear the roast in the uncovered Dutch oven to brown on all sides, turning about 5 minutes. There are 6 sides to a roast, at 5 minutes per sides it comes to about 30 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 325°F. 
5. Arrange the celery and apple around the roast and add enough water to cover the bottom by about a half inch. Cover and continue to roast for 30 minutes. 
6. Add the sauerkraut to cover the roast and cover with the lid again. In a separate pot, turn on the heat to boil the potatoes in salted water.
7. Continue roasting until the internal temperature of the roast is 160°F, at least another 45 minutes. 
8. For the mashed potatoes, boil them until tender then mash with cream, butter, salt and pepper to taste. 

We always served it all together - a bed of mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, and a slice of the roast leaning up against the whole thing. Roland made pan seared carrots and parsnips as a side which added a little sweetness and some beautiful colour to the dish.