Schweinshaxe German Pork Hock (Roasted & Served with Dark Lager Gravy)
How to roast a pork hock like a Bavarian. Recreate Schweinshaxe, roasted German pork knuckle (aka pork hock or pork shank) with tender meat and crispy skin + make a delicious gravy from the pan drippings, flavored by dark German lager.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 866kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pork knuckles aka hocks, about 1.5 lbs each, skin-on, uncured/unsmoked
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds plus 1 teaspoon extra if poaching
- 2-3 bay leaves needed only if poaching first
- 4-5 whole cloves needed only if poaching
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2-3 garlic cloves needed only if poaching
- 1 onion plus 1 more if poaching
- 12 oz dark German lager dunkel, bock, schwarzbier or amber lager like Marzen or Vienna lager
Instructions
OVEN ONLY METHOD
- Bring the hocks to room temperature. Only then preheat oven to 300 F.
- Slice the onion into rings and place on the bottom of a roasting pan. Grind 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (use pestle and mortar or spice grinder) and mix with ground pepper and salt.
- Score the skin (rind) of each pork hock and rub with the spice mix from previous step. Place hocks on top of onions, with the tapered end facing up.
- Slow roast for about 90 -120 minutes ( depending on how large the hocks are, about 90 mins for 1.5 lbs hocks and about 120 mins for larger). Add the beer and a little bit of water to the pan and continue slow roasting for another 60-90 minutes. If the skin is browning too fast consider loosely tenting it with foil.
- Transfer the hocks to another pan and keep the pan with the drippings and onions (see gravy below). Place the hocks back in the oven and either roast at 400 F or broil, until the skin gets crispy and puffy. Watch them closely during this step to avoid burning.
POACHING + OVEN METHOD
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. In a deep pot place the pork hocks, one chopped onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon caraway and whole cloves. Add boiling water until the hocks are covered. Poach the hocks on low ( do not simmer) for about 60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 300 F. Cut an onion into thick rings and place at the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the hocks from the poaching liquid and score the skin. Place the scored hocks on top of the onions, tapered end pointing up.
- Grind 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (use pestle and mortar or spice grinder) and mix with ground pepper and salt. Rub the mix over the hocks and place in the oven for 60 minutes.
- Add the beer to the pan and continue slow roasting for another 60 minutes. If the skin is browning too fast consider tenting it with foil.
- Transfer the knuckles to another pan and keep the pan with the drippings and onions (see gravy below). Place the hocks back in the oven and either roast at 400 F or broil, until the skin gets crispy and puffy. Watch them closely during this step to avoid burning.
GRAVY
- Add 1 cup of hot water to the pan drippings and scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into sauce pan and bring to simmer. (If the consistency is too thin, add a slurry (1 tablespoon corn starch mixed into 1 tablespoon cold water) and whisk it in to thicken.)
- Remove from heat and serve with the Schweinshaxe.
Notes
Roasting pork hocks is best done at low temperature (about 275-300 F) to allow for the collagen to melt. This will make the meat tender. The fat from underneath the skin of the hocks makes the meat juicy,
Exact times are tricky because the size/weight of each pork knuckle matters. The strength of your oven is also important - no two ovens are calibrated the same. Make adjustments to temperature if you notice that the skin is browning too fast, or loosely cover with tin foil.
Generally a 1.5 lbs hock will need about 2 ½ hrs of slow roasting plus a bit more at high temperature (400 F) or under broiler, as needed until the skin becomes crispy.
Because a pork hock can weigh up to 2 ½ lbs adjustment to these times and temperatures should be made on an as needed basis.
If your oven is fan assisted (convection oven) you should reduce the temperatures noted by about 35-40 F.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 866kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 91g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 299mg | Sodium: 1944mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
