Roast Pork Knuckle with Sauerkraut during Oktoberfest
Schweinshaxe, or tender and juicy pork knuckle wrapped in a salty and roasted-crisp skin, is a recipe for a quintessential Oktoberfest feast. It makes for the perfect pairing with a big stein of your favorite beer.
Schweinshaxe (pronounced SH-vines-HAKS-eh), is a German dish particularly popular in Bavaria, the home of Oktoberfest.Add in the fact that it’s a combination of tender, juicy pork and crispy, salty skin. You have yourself Oktoberfest pairing heaven.
What Is a Pork Knuckle?
Schweinshaxe starts with a cut of pork you’re probably not too familiar with: the knuckle.
While pork knuckle might sound a bit unappealing, Schweinshaxe, now that just sounds like a fun culinary feat to master. The bone-in chunk of pork leg is quite impressive. But it can be a bit intimidating. With Hock or knuckle, you’re getting the part of the pig that is the joint between the foot and shank.It’s a stubby piece of meat, covered in a thick layer of skin and fat. And, while there isn’t a lot of meat on each hock (knuckle), there is a lot of skin. Once rubbed in salt and roasted, this skin gets super crispy and delicious. So, delicious, it has its own name. It’s known as crackling, and it’s pretty much the main reason for diving into a pork knuckle. The seasoned knuckle gets placed into a baking dish filled with sliced onions and beer.
Then, you pop it in the oven and forget about it for 3 hours, while the oven’s heat works its magic.
Or, you can try to forget about it. By the time the oven’s buzzer rings, the excitement for that crispy pork skin is barely containable. Just don’t forget to pour yourself a big stein of beer before chowing down.
What Beer To Serve With Pork Knuckle?
Honestly, any full flavored (preferably German) beer will do for pairing with this juicy, tender, fall-apart meat and crunchy, salty skin
But, if you’re looking for a really stellar pairing, then read on. Our friend and beer connoisseur Eric Weis,.. from Jindabyne Brewing recommends a lighter beer with loads of flavor, like a WeisseBier.Needless to say the Germans also make some pretty good ones which are available in leading retailers !
Serve your Schweinhaxe the Bavarian way with potato dumplings, spaetzel, or boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage or sauerkraut.
(It is truly amazing how quickly the popularity of Sauerkraut and other fermented foods has spread.)
- Three Aussie Farmers German Style Pork Knuckle.
- ½ brown onion, thinly sliced.
- 2 garlic cloves, minced.
- 1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced.
- 1 ¼ cup apple cider.
- 1 cup chicken stock.
- 1 tsp. thyme, chopped.
- 4 Tbsp. gravy powder.
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Roast potatoes, to serve
Don’t forget the Jar of ALDI Saurkraut
Prepare in roasting pan and cook on 220 centigrade for 1.2 hours or according to you oven.
Some commercially prepared precooked Pork Knuckles require only 30 minutes or so in the oven !
