Servings
Font
Back
0 from 87 votes

Slow Cooked Pork Hocks

Meltingly tender slow cooked pork hocks with sauerkraut, a German classic recipe perfect for cooking in the slow cooker.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 1035 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

  • 2 Pork Hocks total weight of about 1.5 – 2 kg/ 3.3 – 4.4 oz
  • 1 large onion about 150 g/ 5.3 oz
  • 1 large apple about 200 g/ 7 oz
  • 1 tablespoon lard or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 can sauerkraut 800 g/ 28 oz (Note 1)
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 cups beef or chicken stock Note 2
  • Fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Chop the onions and the apple but keep them separated.
  2. Cook on stove: Heat the lard or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Cook the onions on medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the apple and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
  3. Caramelize: Sprinkle the sugar on top and let caramelize slightly for about 2 minutes.
  4. Combine: Add sauerkraut, salt, bay leaves, caraways seeds, peppercorns, and cloves. Mix well. Transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add stock and mix.
  5. Rub the pork hocks with salt and pepper. Nestle them on top of the sauerkraut.
  6. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, turning the hocks halfway through. (Note 3 and 4).
  7. Serve with boiled potatoes, German bread, or potato dumplings.

Notes

  • Either fresh (homemade or from the butchers), from a can, jar, or bag. Search for a German product for genuine taste and texture. I recommend Mildessa/Hengstenberg. (Amazon affiliate link, but I am not getting paid for recommending the products).
  • Use homemade or low-sodium stock, otherwise, the dish might turn too salty.Read the instructions for the slow cooker. Newer machines tend to be faster than the traditional ones which still have a ceramic pot.
  • If you want to cook the dish without the slow cooker, check the blog post for instructions.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/4 of the dish Calories 1035kcal (52%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 104g (208%) Fat 56g (86%) Saturated Fat 20g (100%) Polyunsaturated Fat 30g Cholesterol 333mg (111%) Sodium 2058mg (86%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 12g (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1035

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/4 of the dish
Calories 1035kcal 52%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 104g 208%
Fat 56g 86%
Saturated Fat 20g 100%
Polyunsaturated Fat 30g 176%
Cholesterol 333mg 111%
Sodium 2058mg 86%
Fiber 9g 36%
Sugar 12g 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.