Slow Cooker Kasseler-Style Peameal Bacon Roast with Sauerkraut

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: March 22, 2016, Updated: July 1, 2025

This German-style peameal bacon roast with sauerkraut is my favorite hands-off slow cooker meal ... simple, hearty, and wunderbar. And if you can’t find peameal bacon, don’t worry. I’ve shared a couple of tasty substitutes below that work just as beautifully.

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A Canadian twist on a German classic ... peameal bacon roast with creamy mashed potatoes and tangy sauerkraut. Comfort food at its finest.

This slow cooker version comes from my dear friend Heidi ... her clever way of recreating the flavor of Kasseler, that smoky German pork we rarely had growing up. It was a real treat when Mutti served it, usually saved for special guests because it was hard to find and pricey ... especially up north in Ontario where German delis were few and far between.

Heidi’s recipe uses a simple peameal bacon roast instead, and let me tell you, it’s a brilliant stand-in. Same wonderful flavor, a fraction of the cost, and made right in the slow cooker. Perfect for turning an ordinary night into something wunderbar.

Top Tips for Best Results

1. Rinse the Roast First: Wash off the cornmeal coating from the peameal bacon. It helps the juices stay smooth and the texture just right.
2. Use a Mild Sauerkraut: Choose a bagged or jarred sauerkraut that’s not overly sour. It balances beautifully with the apple and onion.
3. Don’t Skip the Apple & Onion: These add subtle sweetness and round out the flavor, especially helpful if your sauerkraut is strong.
4. Thicken the Juices Before Serving: A quick cornstarch slurry gives you a lovely sauce.

How I Discovered This Clever Kasseler Swap

Like my Mutti, I kept Kasseler as a special treat ... something for holidays or when it went on sale (which wasn’t often).

So imagine my surprise when I popped by my friend Heidi’s house one ordinary weeknight ... and she was serving Kasseler for supper! Or so I thought.

Turns out, she had a clever trick up her sleeve. Instead of splurging at the deli, she used a Canadian peameal bacon roast and let it simmer in the slow cooker. The result? That same wonderful flavor I remembered from my childhood ... and maybe even better. At least, that’s what my husband said after his first bite!

How I Make It So Simple

It really couldn’t be simpler. I just rinse the cornmeal coating off the peameal roast, pop it into the slow cooker, pour in a jar (or two) of sauerkraut and add apples and onion slices. Then I turn it on and let it do its thing until supper. Just before serving, I thicken the juices with a quick cornstarch slurry ... easy and fuss-free.

Served with boiled or mashed potatoes, this is pure comfort food for me and my hubby. A spoonful of German mustard on the side? Even better. So lecker

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Slow Cookers for German Recipes? Absolutely.

Even though this site is all about quick German meals, the slow cooker earns its place. It might not be common in German kitchens (where it is now called a schongarer), but once we moved to Canada, it quickly became Mutti’s favorite appliance. She used it all the time!

In fact, she even adapted her beloved sauerbraten for the slow cooker. And I followed in her footsteps ... my slow cooker roast beef has all the rich flavor of traditional rouladen, without the extra fuss.

Once everything’s in the pot in the morning, just turn it on and carry on with your day ... work, errands, or something fun. By the time you walk back through the door, dinner’s ready and waiting with hardly any effort left. Now that’s my kind of cooking!

Variations: Kasseler or Pork Loin Roast Instead of Peameal

Can’t find peameal bacon? No need to give up on this cozy slow cooker meal. You can still enjoy it with a couple of delicious substitutes ... just with slightly different flavors.

What Is Kasseler?

If you come across kasseler (also spelled kassler), don’t pass it by! This German specialty is cured and smoked pork, usually from the loin, though sometimes from the neck or shoulder. It’s a bit like ham ... but leaner, lightly smoky, and fully cooked. Just slice and warm it up.

• No browning needed. Simply place the Kasseler right on top of the sauerkraut mixture in your slow cooker.
• Since it’s already cooked, reduce the cooking time to about 3–4 hours on low, just enough to heat through and let the flavors meld.

Using Boneless Center-Cut Pork Loin Roast

If kasseler and peameal bacon are both hard to find, a boneless pork loin roast is a great option.

• This cut does benefit from a quick sear before adding it to the slow cooker ... it adds flavor and helps keep it juicy.
• After searing, follow the recipe as written. Let it cook low and slow for 6–7 hours, nestled on top of that tasty kraut-apple base.

A Quick Comparison:

• Peameal bacon: mildly salty, juicy, with a cornmeal edge.
• Kasseler: smoky, savory, and lean ... fully cooked and deeply flavorful.
• Pork loin roast: neutral and meaty, great for adding your own twist.

All three turn out beautifully using the same slow cooker base of sauerkraut, apple, and onion. You just pick your pork, plug in the slow cooker, and let the gemütlichkeit simmer.

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Kasseler-Style Peameal Bacon Roast with Sauerkraut

This German-style peameal bacon roast with sauerkraut is my favorite hands-off slow cooker meal ... simple, hearty, and wunderbar

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

8 hours

Total Time:

8 hours 10 minutes

Servings:

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2½ to 3 pounds (1.1 -1.4 kg) Canadian peameal bacon roast (see Notes/Hints below)
• 2 cans (28-ounce each) sauerkraut, drained
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 - 2 tablespoons (8-16 g) cornstarch
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. If the roast is covered with cornmeal, then wash that off. Empty one can of sauerkraut into slow cooker. Layer apple and onion slices over the sauerkraut. Place meat on top.
2. Cover with second can of sauerkraut.
3. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours.
4. Carefully remove meat and cover to keep warm. 
5. Turn the slow cooker to HI. Mix corn starch in a little cold water. Slowly stir in add just enough corn starch slurry to thicken and make a sauce.
6. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. 
7. Serve slices of meat and sauerkraut with boiled or mashed potatoes.

Notes/Hints:

• Another name for Canadian peameal bacon is cured boneless pork loin. If it is rolled in cornmeal, leave it on or wash it off ...  both ways taste good.
• Can't find peameal bacon? You can substitute with kasseler or  pork loin. Here's how.
• Omit the apples and onions, if desired
• Caramelize the onion slices before adding to the slow cooker.
• Adjust quantities to slow cooker size and number of servings needed. Leftovers can be reheated in microwave.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated on July 1, 2025

Check out more of Oma's Pork Recipes here ->

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.