I think you should add a sliced apple or ½ cup applesauce to that sauerkraut to smooth the sharp flavor. For those who like a BBQ-flavored meal: 2 cups dried lentils, well rinsed, stones removed. ½ cup minced fresh onion optional: 1 carrot minced or grated 1 clove garlic, minced or smashed [or 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic] 2 cans [or 1 heaping quart fresh] diced tomatoes, including the juice 2+ cups water ¾ cup [or more] tomato-y BBQ sauce such as BullsEye. 5 chicken boullion cubes dissolved in 1 cup water [or 1 can chicken stock] -- or not: the chicken just adds a bit of flavor to the lentils. My crockpot is extremely slow to heat, so I usually dump everything into a regular pot, adding enough more water to cover the lentil mixture. Over medium heat, bring lentils to a gentle boil while the crockpot heats. As soon as both pot and lentils are hot [20 minutes or so], transfer the lentils into the crockpot. Check every couple hours, if needed, add more water to cover. Cook on high until tender [4 to 6 hours] and then on low until you are ready to eat. If you like a very BBQ-y taste, add more sauce to taste, and then serve mixture over cooked rice. I serve with cornbread on one side and a crisp salad on the other side; chocolate mousse or lime cloud-pie make a good dessert. For a skillet meal, spray large frypan with 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle heavily with garlic powder plus ½ teaspoon salt. Brown porkchops on both sides. Lift chops out and cover pan bottom with sliced (¼") redskin potatoes, cover with paperthin onion rings, put chops on top, add enough water or chicken broth to be about ¼" deep. Put lid on pan and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20 mins). Serve with steamed broccoli or a hot wilted spinach salad. A fruit dessert such as peach cobbler or strawberry pie goes well.

I'm so intrigued by the discussion of the smaller sized Nesco roasters. Is the inner cookwell light in weight? My biggest concern about crockpots is the weight of the crock itself. I'm deathly afraid that my wrists couldn't handle the weight during cleanup. That's one of the problems I have with my enameled cast iron dutch oven. It' so heavy to lift and I'm always worried it'll slip while I'm washing it.

Well, here is what I am doing. I have it in the crockpot now. Everyone's recipes sound good, but I had all of these ingredients on hand. Didn't want to make the trip into town if I didn't have to. I made it simpler by coating the pork with the rub mixture, then placing in the crockpot and adding some of the basting sauce. I made the BBQ sauce, too, and will probably mix some of it with the pork before I freeze it. I'll let you know how it turns out. Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Homemade BBQ Sauce Courtesy Emeril Lagasse 1 boneless pork butt, about 4 pounds 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons Essence 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon cayenne Wet Mop Basting Sauce, recipe follows Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows Place the pork in a baking dish. In a bowl, combine the sugar, Essence, salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, and cayenne. Rub the seasoning evenly over the pork to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Preheat an oven or smoker to 225 degrees F. Bring the pork to room temperature and place in a roasting pan, fat side up. Slow cook in the oven, basting with the Wet Mop Basting Sauce every 45 minutes, until tender and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. (The cooking should take about 6 to 7 hours.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. With a knife and fork or two forks, pull the meat apart into small slices or chunks. Toss with the Barbecue Sauce, to taste, and divide among the hamburger buns. Top with coleslaw. Serve with additional Barbecue Sauce on the side. Wet Mop Basting Sauce: 1 cup white vinegar 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon salt The night before you cook the pork, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well. Refrigerate and let the flavors blend overnight. Yield: 2 1/4 cups Barbecue Sauce: 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup ketchup 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 1 tablespoon molasses 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk well to dissolve the sugar. Place in a squeeze bottle and dress the pulled pork sandwiches to taste. Yield: about 2 cups Linda

I live in Wisconsin where the Nesco is a tradition. I believe it is made here or at least it was, who knows anymore, but it is a great device and I use it all the time. Just realize that it is not all things for everyone and you will be happy with your purchase. I first saw the Nesco in use at a friends house where Mom would cook with it a lot particularly game. So it has a lot of nostalgia for me. I make their chili recipe for the 6 qt a lot adapted a bit to my own tastes and people seem to enjoy it. It's great when it's too hot to use the oven. I own several 6 qt models and a 18 qt size which I use to cook for large family gatherings and for turkey. You'll want to experiment with it before you use it for an important family gathering or you may be disappointed. There is a technique for getting a turkey to brown correctly and if you don't do it right the turkey won't brown and may have a steamed taste. Still good but maybe not what you were looking for. On sale I have seen the 6 qt size selling for $25, buy one and support American industry and get a bargain to boot!