Schweinshaxe (German Pork Knuckle)
User Reviews
5
64 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
317 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
German
Schweinshaxe (German Pork Knuckle)
Report
Schweinshaxe is a hearty German dish featuring large, meaty pork knuckles simmered with aromatics like onion, celery, carrot, leek, and garlic in beer and water infused with juniper berries, black peppercorns, bay leaves, caraway seeds, and cloves. The resulting pork knuckles are simmered until tender and then cooled for roasting to develop crispy skin.
Description
Schweinshaxe involves simmering large pork knuckles in a flavorful liquid composed of beer, water, and a mix of vegetables and spices. The combination of juniper berries, caraway seeds, and other aromatics imparts a distinct traditional German flavor. The pork knuckles are gently cooked for 90 minutes until tender, with foam skimmed off during cooking to keep the broth clear and flavorful.
After simmering, the pork knuckles are removed and allowed to cool slightly, which helps evaporate moisture from the skin to achieve a crisp exterior when roasted or finished. Scoring the skin through vertical and horizontal cuts optionally creates a characteristic square pattern that crisps nicely.
This dish can be served with the rich pan or pot gravy made by thickening the cooking liquid with cornstarch. Serve Schweinshaxe alongside sauerkraut, potatoes, or hearty bread to balance the richness of the pork.
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Ingredients
- 2 pork knuckles roughly 2 1/2 pounds each), raw not brined, cured, or smoked, large, meaty
- 2 onion roughly chopped, large
- 2 celery ribs cut in half
- 2 carrot peeled and cut in half
- 1 leek , cut in fourths (to fit in pot)
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and cut in half
- 1 bottle pale beer optional but recommended, German Pilsner or other
- water to cover pork knuckles
- 8 juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 3 clove whole
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch or more as needed to thicken gravy to desired consistency, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Look over the pork knuckles and remove any hairs/bristles if there are any. Give them a rinse. Select a pot that fits the pork knuckles fairly snugly so that you end up having to use too much water to cover them and thereby dilute the final gravy. Place the pork knuckles in a large pot with the vegetables and seasonings and pour the beer over it. Then pour over enough water to come to nearly the top of the pork knuckles. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.Cook the pork knuckles for 90 minutes, occasionally skimming off the foam that rises to the top. After 90 minutes carefully remove the knuckles and transfer them to a cutting board. Let them cool for a few minutes to allow some of the moisture to evaporate from the skins (this will help them become crispy as they roast). Optional: some cooks like to then take a sharp knife and score the skin around the hocks (most commonly they're sliced vertically and then horizontally to create squares, or in a diamond shape). This will further enable to skins to become nice and crispy. Sprinkle a little salt all over the skin.
- Towards the end of the pork knuckles simmering time, preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C (for optimal and the most even results, use your convection roast setting if you have it and reduce the temperature to 450 F / 190 C).Place the pork knuckles in a roasting pan (ideally it will have a rack to allow the air to circulate under the hocks, but this isn't a must) and roast them for 60-90 minutes until the skins are crispy and a very deep brown color. If you like eating the pork rinds and want them extra crispy, set your oven now to broil and broil the hocks for an additional 10-20 minutes until the skins are crispy and blistered, rotating the pan halfway through. Keep a close watch on them to make sure they don't burn. Once they are done tent the pan with foil and set aside while you're making the gravy (see below).
- To make the Beer Gravy:Strain the cooking liquid and place 3 cups of it in a blender along with some of the cooked vegetables (note: if you prefer a more pronounced beer flavor in your gravy, reduce that to 2 cups and add an additional cup of beer to the gravy). Blend until smooth. (Alternatively place the cooking water and vegetables in a saucepan and use an immersion blender.) Pour the puree into a saucepan and add the tomato paste. When the Schweinshaxe are done roasting, pour all of the juices (at least 1 cup) from the roasting pan into the saucepan. Bring the gravy to a boil, reduce it to a steady simmer, and let it simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes to reduce a little. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for another 2 minutes until the gravy is thickened. If the consistency is thicker than you like, add a little more of the cooking water. If the consistency is too thin, let it simmer until it's reduced to the desired consistency or add a little more cornstarch slurry. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the Schweinshaxe with the gravy on the side along with traditional German sides including Sauerkraut, Rotkohl, Semmelknödel or Kartoffelklöße.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
317kcal
(16%)
Carbohydrates
22g
(7%)
Protein
16g
(32%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Cholesterol
57mg
(19%)
Sodium
1835mg
(76%)
Potassium
277mg
(6%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
5488IU
(110%)
Vitamin C
10mg
(11%)
Calcium
59mg
(6%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 317 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 317kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 57mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 1835mg | 76% |
| Potassium | 277mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 5488IU | 110% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 59mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
64 reviews
Excellent
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