Slovenian Jota

Jota is a comforting Slovenian and Karst-region stew that balances sauerkraut acidity with beans, potatoes, and smoked pork.

Part of the potato is mashed and a light onion roux is added so the broth thickens without becoming pasty.

Taste the sauerkraut before seasoning because salt levels vary considerably.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with rye bread, polenta, or a crisp green salad.

Recipe Notes

For a meatless version, omit pork, use vegetable stock, and add a teaspoon of smoked paprika.

Slovenian Jota

A thick Slovenian stew of sauerkraut, white beans, potatoes, and smoked pork.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Slovenian

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x?

Stew

• 2 cups cooked white beans drained
• 1 1/2 lb sauerkraut drained and lightly rinsed if very salty
• 1 1/2 lb yellow potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 lb smoked pork shoulder or ham hock meat
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 6 cups low-sodium stock or water

Roux and Seasoning

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp fine salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven
• Medium saucepan
• Chef’s knife
• Wooden spoon

Method

 

Simmer the Base:

1. Combine pork, sauerkraut, bay leaves, and 4 cups stock in a Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer, cover partly, and cook for 35 minutes.
2. In a saucepan, cover potatoes with the remaining stock and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Mash one-quarter of the potatoes into their liquid.

Make the Roux:

1. Heat oil in the saucepan. Cook onion for 6 minutes, add garlic for 1 minute, then stir in flour and paprika for 1 minute. Whisk in a ladle of stew broth until smooth.

Finish:

1. Stir the onion roux, potatoes and their liquid, beans, salt, and pepper into the sauerkraut pot. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until thick.
2. Remove bay leaves, pull or slice the pork into serving pieces, and adjust salt according to the sauerkraut.

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 31gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1180mgFiber: 12gSugar: 7g

Notes

• Rinse sauerkraut only when it is aggressively salty; its acidity is essential to jota.
• The stew tastes better after resting overnight and keeps refrigerated for four days.

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