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Eisbein is a traditional German dish of juicy, tender crispy pork knuckle with the crispiest, crackly skin. Serve with vegetables and perfectly cooked creamy sauteed potatoes for a meal you will want to eat again and again!
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Jump to:
- What is pork knuckle?
- Recipe notes
- How to cook a crispy pork knuckle
- How to make the sauteed potatoes
- FAQ
- Pin for later
- Other roasts
- 📋The recipe
There are many names for this dish, depending on where you live in the world. In Germany it is either Schweinshaxe or Eisbein, in Poland, it is known as Golonka and the Swedes call it Flasklagg. If you are in Austria, it goes by the name of Stelze. Myparticular favourite is the Italian name for pork knuckle, which is Stinco. In my personal vocabulary,
What is pork knuckle?
Pork knuckle is traditionally made from a boiled ham hock and can be served either just boiled, with
You can also roast the pork knuckle in the oven, rather than boiling, which will result in a nice crispy skin. I prefer to boil it first in the pressure cooker because I think it makes the meat juicier. The meat from the knuckle has a lot of connective tissue and ligaments and therefore it needs to be either boiled for a long time or baked very slowly in the oven to break down this tissue and soften the meat.
Properly cooked, pork knuckle is one of the most tender and tasty joints of meat you can get.
What part of the pig does it come from?
A pork knuckle is a cut of meat from just above the trotter on either the front or back leg of the pig. The cut from the back leg is larger than the one from the front leg, but both taste the same and can be cooked in the same way.
I found this picture on Wikipedia, which illustrates the cut perfectly.
Recipe notes
- Prep time - 15 minutes
- Cooking time - 2 hours
- Calories - 360 per serving
- Main equipment - electric pressure cooker (or normal pressure cooker). I use a Pressure King Pro electric pressure cooker, but I've had it for so long I can't find it on Amazon! I did find this one though, which is very similar (and probably a lot more up-to-date).
How to cook a crispy pork knuckle
For a complete list of ingredients and full instructions on how to cook a crispy pork knuckle, see the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
It takes about 2 hours to pressure cook the meat and crisp the skin. The potatoes take about half an hour to prepare and cook, but they can be done whilst the meat is cooking so I haven't added this to the total time.
Get the meat in the pressure cooker
My pressure cooker will only take 2 pork knuckles at a time so if you want to do 4 knuckles you will need a REALLY big pressure cooker, or you will have to do them in 2 batches.
Try to get pork knuckles with a good covering of skin. Sometimes the butcher will trim a lot of the skin away, but it is the skin that gives the lovely crispness to this dish.
An uncooked pork knuckle normally weighs in the region of 2 pounds or 900 grams. However, there are two large bones running through the knuckle and a lot of fat and connective tissue which adds tons of flavour but is normally not eaten.
Rinse the knuckles in cold water and put them in a pressure cooker with 1 carrot, 1 stick of celery, 1 small onion, about 10 peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with ½ litre of water. No need to chop the veggies first - they are only in there to add flavour.
Set the pressure cooker time
I like to cook this in 30-minute stages . After the first 30 minutes, I open the pressure cooker and give the meat a bit of a stir around. Then cook again for another 30 minutes. Depending on the size of the pork knuckles they may be fully cooked after the second 30 minutes. If not, I give them a bit longer.
First stage
Set the pressure cooker at 30 minutes on its highest setting. Mine has a setting for 'stew' and a setting for 'meat' and I find that 'stew' works better for this.
After 30 minutes let the pressure release, open the pressure cooker and turn the meat. Top up with more water if it looks as though it is boiling dry. I didn't need to do this, but it depends on your pressure cooker.
Second stage
Cook for another 30 minutes then release the pressure and open the pressure cooker. Check the meat to see whether it is done.
The meat will be ready if the skin is translucent and the meat can be easily pierced with a fork, and looks as though it is ready to fall off the bone. The meat will also have pulled back from the bone.
Final stage
This stage is where you give your meat a final cook if it is still not quite done after the first 2 stages.
I was cooking 2 large knuckles and found that they weren't completely cooked so I gave them another 30 minutes.
Use your own judgement
The length of cooking time depends on the size of your pork knuckles. You may find you only need (say) another 15 minutes.
Crisp the skin
Place the knuckles in a baking tray and on a shelf just above the bottom of your oven (ie below the middle) with the grill turned on. Don't put them too close to the grill of they WILL burn.
Be careful THEY BURN EASILY. You need to keep your eye on them and turn them occasionally so that they crisp all over.
If you find the meat is browning too much, cover the meat with a piece of tin foil and leave only the skin exposed.
Remove from the oven
Once the pork knuckles are crispy you can remove them from the oven and serve. I like to serve them with sauteed potatoes and a selection of vegetables.
How to make the sauteed potatoes
You will need a large frying pan with a lid.
For the sauteed potatoes you need to have twice as many potatoes as onions. If you are making this for four people you will need 6 medium-sized potatoes and 3 medium onions.
I always brown the potatoes in a little oil before adding the onions. This way the sauteed potatoes tend to come out nice and brown, whereas if you fry the onions first and then add the potatoes they still taste the same, but they don't have that lovely golden brown colour.
Fry the potatoes
Chop the potatoes into 1" cubes and place them in 2 tablespoons of hot oil in a frying pan.
Sprinkle with salt and allow to brown over a hot heat stirring occasionally. I like to brown the potatoes first as this gives a good colour to the sauteed potatoes.
Add the onions
Now add the onions to the potatoes. Give them a good stir, turn down the heat and cover with a lid.
Saute until cooked
Allow the potatoes and onions to saute gently, stirring occasionally until done. This step takes about 10 minutes. The potatoes should be soft and creamy and the onions should be nice and soft.
FAQ
How many people will 1 pork knuckle serve?
We are a family of 2 and I normally make one knuckle each purely because we are greedy and both like the crackling. There is always a lot of meat left over, but it makes lovely sandwiches.
This also depends on the size of the knuckle- a small one would be more than sufficient for one person - and a medium to large one would probably serve 2 hungry people.
Do I have to use a pressure cooker?
No, you can boil the knuckles in a normal saucepan. Depending on the size, this could take up to three hours. A pressure cooker just speeds up the process.
What can I serve with this?
In Germany, this cut of meat is traditionally served with sauerkraut (pickled cabbage).
I like to serve it with sauteed potatoes and a bowl of fresh steamed vegetables. You could serve it with mashed potatoes if you prefer (mash your potatoes with a teaspoon of mustard and a knob of butter for instant mustard mash).
A dish of apple sauce makes a nice accompaniment or a little mustard on the side.
What can I do with the cooking liquid?
The cooking liquid has a lovely flavour. I strain it through a sieve and keep it in the fridge for adding to stews and casseroles.
The liquid turns to jelly when cold (because of all the gelatin in the meat fibres) and the fat rises to the top and can be skimmed off.
It will keep for up to a week in a sealed jar in the fridge, or you can freeze it.
What do I do with the leftovers?
These knuckles have quite a lot of meat on them, and for those with a smaller appetite, there is always a lot left over. Why not turn the leftovers into mini pork pies?
Just line muffin tins with shortcrust pastry, fill with chopped-up leftover meat, top up with the cooking liquid, cover with a lid of pastry and bake in a hot oven (200C/400F) for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry is golden.
Allow them to cool before eating.
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Pin for later
Why not pin this Eisbein recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
If you enjoyed this crispy Eisbein you may also enjoy these other roasts:
- Lamb shanks with minted gravy - so tender you could cut it with a fork
- Minted roast leg of lamb - roast leg of lamb in a delicious mint marinade
- Meatloaf wrapped in bacon - oven-baked for extra flavour
- Sticky oven-baked Pork Spare Ribs with honey glaze
📋The recipe
Crispy pork knuckle with sauteed potatoes
Eisbein is a traditional German dish of juicy, tender pork knuckle with the crispiest, crackly skin. Serve with vegetables and perfectly cooked creamy sauteed potatoes for a meal you will want to eat again and again!
Recipe by: Veronica
Main Course
Any
Prep 15 minutes minutes
Cook 2 hours hours
Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Print Pin Comment Bookmark
4.45 from 9 votes
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Ingredients
For the pork knuckle
- 2 to 3 pork knuckles
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 stick celery
- 1 small onion
- ½ litre water or 1 pint
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the saute potatoes
- 6 medium potatoes cubed
- 3 medium onions coarsely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil or sunflower oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Wash the pork knuckles and place in a pressure cooker
2 to 3 pork knuckles
Add the whole carrot, celery and onion along with the salt and peppercorns
1 medium carrot, 1 stick celery, 1 small onion, 10 whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt
Pour in the water
½ litre water
Set the pressure cooker on 'meat' or 'stew' function and cook for 30 minutes
Release the pressure, open the pressure cooker and turn the meat over.
Set the pressure cooker on 'meat' or 'stew' function and cook for a further 30 minutes
Release the pressure, open the pressure cooker and check for 'doneness'.
If the meat is not quite done steam again for a few minutes. Use your own judgement on this step.
When the meat is cooked, remove from the pressure cooker and allow to cool until you can handle it. Pat the skin dry with kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt and place in a baking pan on the lowest shelf of your oven under a hot grill, turning occasionally, until the skin is crispy.
For the sauteed potatoes
Cut the potatoes into 1" pieces. Chop the onion into 1 cm dice.
6 medium potatoes, 3 medium onions
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the potatoes and allow to brown slightly.
2 Tablespoons Olive oil or sunflower oil
Add the onions and stir to coat with oil and to mix with the potatoes. Add salt to taste.
Salt to taste
Place the lid on the frying pan, reduce the heat and allow the potatoes and onions to sweat gently until the potatoes are soft and the onions are cooked through. Stir occasionally.
Notes
Use your own judgement when deciding how many pork knuckles you will need. One medium-sized pork knuckle will realistically serve 2 people (unless you are really hungry). If you do end up with leftovers, the cold pork makes delicious sandwiches.
My pressure cooker will only take 2 knuckles at a time so if you want to do 4 knuckles you will need a REALLY big pressure cooker, or you will have to do them in 2 batches.
There is no need to chop up the vegetables before adding them to the meat. They are only used as flavouring and can be discarded once the meat is cooked.
Cooking time depends on the size of your pork knuckles. They are done when the skin is translucent and the meat looks as though it is about to fall off the bone. The meat will also have retracted from the bone.
Be careful when crisping the skin in the oven - KEEP YOUR EYE ON IT. Don't put the meat too close to the grill. Below the centre of the oven is fine. Turn the pork often to crisp all round.
Use tinfoil to protect the bits of meat that don't have a skin covering.
Brown the potatoes first to ensure that your saute potatoes have an appetising brown colour.
I have not calculated the nutrition information for this recipe as this will depend on a number of things, such as the amount of fat on the pork, the size of the pork knuckles and the number of knuckles that you actually cook.
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
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