German Pork Knuckle (Schweinshaxe) - Slow Roasted with Crispy crackling!
User Reviews
5
88 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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"Marinating"
1 d
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Servings
2
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Calories
633 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
German
German Pork Knuckle (Schweinshaxe) - Slow Roasted with Crispy crackling!
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German Pork Knuckle (Schweinshaxe) is a slow-roasted pork knuckle seasoned with juniper berries, caraway, fennel seeds, and a garlic-studded marinade. The skin is carefully pricked and stretched with skewers for an even, crispy crackling. The meat is roasted upright for even cooking, finished under high heat for crackling. Dark German beer and chicken stock form a flavorful gravy enriched with aromatic vegetables and spices.
Description
This recipe calls for a 1.25kg pork knuckle, preferably from the hindquarter for meatiness. The skin is pricked with a sharp tool to avoid puncturing the flesh, allowing fat to render and develop crisp crackling. The pork flesh is brushed with vinegar to reduce odor, studded with garlic slivers, then rubbed with a seasoning blend of salt, pepper, juniper berries, caraway, and fennel seeds. The skin is stretched and secured with skewers to prevent loosening during roasting, a key step for even crackling.
The knuckle is slow roasted upright, allowing fat to drip away and the skin to crisp evenly. A gravy made from dark German beer, chicken stock, carrot, onion, garlic, juniper berries, and bay leaves is prepared alongside. The pan juices are thickened with cornflour and seasoned to taste. A final blast of heat intensifies crust crispness. The result is tender meat with distinctive aromatic flavors enveloped by a bubbly, crunchy skin.
This dish pairs well with tangy salads like German cucumber salad or no-mayo apple coleslaw, and potato sides. The recipe includes tips on ingredient choices, pricking technique, and specialty ingredients like juniper berries and German dark beer essential for authentic flavor. Preparation requires patience and careful handling of the skin to achieve the desired crispness.
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Ingredients
- 1 x 1.25kg / 2.5lb pork knuckle (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar (Note 2)
- 3 garlic cut into 4 - 6 slivers (Note 3, cloves
Marinade Rub:
- 2 tsp salt , kosher / cooking salt NOT table salt (Note 4)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp juniper berries (Note 5)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
Beer Gravy:
- 2 cups dark German beer (Note 6)
- 2 cups chicken stock low sodium, or broth
- 1 carrot , unpeeled, sliced 2cm / 0.8" thick
- 1 onion , unpeeled, halved, cut into 1.25cm / 1/2" thick slices
- 1 garlic cut in two halves horizontally, head
- 5 juniper berries (Note 5)
- 2 bay leaf preferably fresh otherwise dried
Gravy thickening and seasoning:
- 2 tsp cornflour or cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt , kosher / cooking salt NOT table salt (Note 4)
Instructions
Preparation and seasoning:
- Prick skin: Poke lots of small holes all over the pork knuckle’s skin, using a small sharp knife or even a pin (eg. safety pin, sewing pin). Take care not to pierce through the fat into the flesh (Note 7).
- Vinegar: Brush (or rub) 1 tbsp of the vinegar on the pork flesh only, including inside cracks / crevices and meat under the skin where it meets the flesh (but do not peel skin back). Avoid getting vinegar on the skin.
- Stud with garlic: Make shallow incisions in the pork flesh (only) with a small knife then stuff with the garlic slivers.
- Seasoning rub: Pound the rub ingredients in a mortar and pestle until it's a coarse powder (or use a Nutribullet, spice grinder or similar).
- Rub seasoning on pork: Rub pork skin with olive oil. Then rub the seasoning mix all over the pork – on the flesh, skin, and getting into all the cracks and crevices.
- Skewer skin (secret for crispy skin! Note 8): Pull the skin down to stretch it tight so there's no creases. Then thread through 2 metal skewers in a "X" formation near the base of the knuckle. Pierce through skin 2cm / 0.8" from the base of the pork knuckle to hold the stretched skin in place.
- "Marinate" overnight: Place pork standing on a plate, then leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (Note 9).
Slow-roasting:
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
- Beer gravy: Put all beer gravy ingredients in a roasting pan (deep enough to hold all liquids and vegetables).
- Rack on pan: Place a rack over the pan. Place pork knuckle on rack, sitting upright. (Note 10)
- Slow roast: Roast for 2 hours 10 minutes, rotating tray half way. (If the liquid in the pan is getting too low and in danger of drying out, top with 1/2 cup of water at a time.) Roast until the internal temperature in the thickest part of meat reaches 85°C / 185°F.
Make crispy Pork Knuckle crackling!
- Remove knuckle from oven, transfer knuckle to a tray.
- Increase oven: Increase oven to 260°C / 500°F (240°C fan) (Note 11)
- Brush skin with vinegar: Brush skin with 1/2 the remaining 1 tbsp of vinegar. Place in oven for 30 minutes, rotating tray halfway and brushing with remaining vinegar.
- Skin should be crispy, dip golden and mostly bubbly.
- Rest: Rest 15 minutes before serving with German Beer Gravy!
German beer gravy:
- Strain liquid: Strain roasting pan juices into a saucepan. Ideally you should have around 1.5 - 2 cups.
- Thicken: Bring liquid to a simmer. Mix cornflour and water, then pour into liquid while stirring. Add sugar and salt to taste.
- Simmer: Simmer for 2 minutes or until it becomes a thin syrup consistency (German beer gravy should not be as thick as normal gravy, but quite runny). If it's too thick, add a touch of water. Too thin, simmer to reduce - it will thicken. Serve with pork knuckle!
Notes
- Use hindquarter pork knuckle (also called ham hock or shank) for meatier results.
- Brushing vinegar on pork flesh reduces strong pork odor associated with secondary cuts.
- Cut garlic into small slivers to insert tightly into shallow incisions in the pork flesh.
- Use kosher or cooking salt, not table salt, to control seasoning accurately.
- Juniper berries add a gin-like aroma; source from specialty or spice stores.
- Dark German beer enhances gravy richness; substitute with other dark beers or stout if unavailable.
- Prick the skin without puncturing flesh to allow fat to render and achieve good crackling.
- Stretch and skewer the skin tightly to prevent sagging during roasting, ensuring even crackle.
- If metal skewers are unavailable, soaked wooden skewers work as alternatives.
- Roast the pork knuckle upright on a flat bottom; stabilize with foil if needed to prevent tipping.
- Serve with fresh, tangy salads and potatoes to balance the rich meat.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
633cal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
32g
(11%)
Protein
65g
(130%)
Fat
20g
(31%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
180mg
(60%)
Sodium
3504mg
(146%)
Potassium
1581mg
(34%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
5115IU
(102%)
Vitamin C
12mg
(13%)
Calcium
146mg
(15%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 633 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 633cal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 32g | 11% |
| Protein | 65g | 130% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 180mg | 60% |
| Sodium | 3504mg | 146% |
| Potassium | 1581mg | 34% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 5115IU | 102% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 146mg | 15% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
88 reviews
Excellent
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