Buzz
Pork knuckle is a thick cut from the pig's leg, which you can prepare in a variety of ways. You can smoke it for added flavor and moisture, roast it in the oven until it turns golden and crispy, or simmer it on the stove. No matter the method, you'll end up with a delicious, budget-friendly, and filling meal.
Ingredients
Smoked Pork Knuckle
- 2.5 kg pork knuckle
- 2 liters of water
- 100g salt
- 100g brown sugar
Roast Pork Knuckle
- Pork knuckle
- Water
- 2 tablespoons (30g) of dry seasoning of your choice
Boiled Pork Knuckle
- Pork knuckle
- Water
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1–2 onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 2–3 celery stalks
- 1 teaspoon salt
Steps
Smoked Pork Knuckle
Prepare a brine to marinate the pork knuckles to retain moisture and enhance their flavor. In a large bowl, combine 2 liters of water with 100g of salt and 100g of brown sugar for every 2.5 kg of pork knuckle. Stir thoroughly with a spoon or whisk until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
- If you want to boost the flavor, you can add extra spices to the brine, such as 2 bay leaves or 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
Marinate the pork knuckles in the brine. Place each pork knuckle into a bowl of brine, ensuring that the knuckles are fully submerged. Cover the bowl after adding the pork knuckles to the brine.
- If the bowl isn't large enough to submerge all the pork knuckles, divide the brine into multiple bowls or use large zip-lock bags. Distribute the pork knuckles into the bowls or bags, ensuring they are fully covered, and seal the bags or bowls to prevent spills.
Allow the pork knuckles to soak in the brine in the fridge for 3-7 days. Place the bowl with the pork knuckles in the refrigerator for 3-7 days to give them enough time to absorb the brine. This step ensures the pork knuckles do not dry out during the smoking process.
- If using zip-lock bags, turn the bags daily to make sure the brine is evenly distributed around the pork knuckles.
Place the pork knuckles on a rack in the fridge to drain. After removing the pork knuckles from the brine, rinse them under cold running water. Place them on a rack and refrigerate for 1 hour to 1 day. This step allows the pork to absorb more smoke flavor during the smoking process.
- You can place a towel or baking tray underneath the rack in the fridge to catch any brine that might drip off the pork knuckles.
Preheat the smoker to 93°C. If you're using an electric smoker, simply turn it on and set it to 93°C. For a charcoal smoker, light the charcoal and wait for the temperature to reach 93°C before placing the meat inside.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you can improvise by turning your regular oven into a temporary smoker. Just place some wet wood chips in a baking tray on the lower rack. Cover the tray loosely with aluminum foil so the smoke can escape slightly from the edges. Preheat the oven to 93°C to get it ready for smoking.
Place the pork knuckles in the smoker. Remove the pork knuckles from the rack in the fridge and set them directly onto the grill rack inside the smoker. Make sure the knuckles are not touching each other. Close the smoker door to start the smoking process.
- If you are using an oven as a temporary smoker, place the pork knuckles directly on the rack above the tray of wood chips.
Smoke until the internal temperature of the pork knuckles reaches 66°C. Smoke the pork knuckles for about 2-6 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork knuckles every hour until it reaches 66°C. Once the temperature hits 66°C, remove the pork knuckles from the smoker.
- The smoking time will vary depending on the type of smoker you're using. Be sure to use a meat thermometer regularly to check the internal temperature and avoid overcooking or drying out the pork knuckles.
Serve the pork knuckles or store them in the fridge for up to a week. Once the pork knuckles are smoked, you can serve them immediately or store them in the fridge for up to a week. Alternatively, you can freeze them for later use.
- Smoked pork knuckles are perfect when paired with soup, rice, black beans, or mustard greens, or simply enjoyed on their own.
Roast Pork Knuckle
Preheat the oven to 177°C. To achieve crispy roasted pork knuckles, you must first preheat the oven. Set it to 177°C. While the oven is heating up, you can start preparing the pork knuckles.
Score the skin and fat of the pork knuckles. Use a sharp knife to carefully make diagonal cuts in the skin and fat of the pork knuckle, creating a diamond pattern. Be careful not to press too hard; you want to avoid cutting into the meat beneath the skin and fat.
- This step allows the pork knuckles to absorb the salt and spices, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish.
Rub your favorite seasonings on the pork knuckles. Sprinkle salt, pepper, pork seasoning, caraway seeds, or any other spices you like onto the pork knuckles. Then, rub the spices into the cuts on the skin and fat.
- Rubbing the spices helps tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor.
- The amount of seasoning depends on your taste and the size of the pork knuckles. Start with 2 tablespoons of seasoning, and feel free to add more as needed.
Place the pork knuckles in a large roasting pan with a little water. After seasoning, place each pork knuckle into the roasting pan with the meaty side down. Arrange them so they don't touch each other, and then pour water into the pan until it reaches about 2.5 cm.
- When adding the water, make sure not to pour it directly over the pork knuckles. Try to keep the skin and fat dry so they crisp up during roasting.
Add any other ingredients you'd like to roast with the pork knuckles. While roasting the pork knuckles, you can save time by cooking other ingredients alongside them.
- Roasted vegetables will also help enhance the flavor of the dish while the pork knuckles roast.
Roast the pork knuckles in the oven for about 3-4 hours. Place the roasting pan with the pork knuckles, water, and any additional ingredients into the oven, being careful not to splash water onto the knuckles. Roast for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature of the pork knuckles reaches 74°C.
- If the pork knuckles are particularly small, you can check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer after 2 hours, instead of waiting the full 3 hours.
Remove the pork knuckles from the oven when fully cooked. Once the pork knuckles reach the minimum temperature of 74°C, turn off the oven. Use oven mitts to carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let the pork knuckles rest for a few minutes before serving.
- When done, the top of the knuckles will be crispy and golden brown, and the meat will easily pull away from the bone.
- For a traditional German dish, you can serve the roasted pork knuckles with potatoes and pickled sauerkraut.
Boiled Pork Knuckles
Fill a large pot with water. Choose a pot that can comfortably hold all the pork knuckles you wish to boil. Fill it up to about a quarter of the pot, leaving enough space at the top to prevent water from overflowing when the knuckles are added or as the water begins to boil.
- For added flavor, you can boil the knuckles in vegetable broth, chicken stock, or a mix of half water and half broth.
Rinse the pork knuckles under cold water. To ensure the meat is clean before boiling, rinse each pork knuckle under cold running water in the sink. This will help remove impurities from the meat and minimize the greasy foam that can form while boiling.
- After rinsing, you can place the pork knuckles directly into the pot without needing to dry them off.
Place the cleaned pork knuckles into the pot. Gently add each pork knuckle to the pot, ensuring that the water does not spill over the sides. Make sure the knuckles are fully submerged, with at least 2.5 cm of water above them.
- If the water level rises close to the edge of the pot after adding the knuckles, you may need to pour some water out in the sink to prevent it from overflowing.
Add spices and vegetables to enhance the flavor. To intensify the flavor of the pork knuckles, you can add spices or vegetables to the water before it begins to boil. Try adding 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1-2 sliced onions, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 2-3 celery stalks, or 1 teaspoon of salt for a richer taste.
- You can also cook the knuckles with other ingredients, such as beans or potatoes, by adding them to the pot before boiling.
Bring the water to a boil. After placing the pork knuckles and any other desired ingredients into the pot, turn the heat to high and continue boiling until the water reaches a rolling boil.
Simmer the pork knuckles for 2-4 hours. Once the water is boiling vigorously, reduce the heat to low or medium to maintain a gentle simmer without the water overflowing. The exact cooking time will depend on the number, size of the knuckles, and water temperature. Begin checking the meat after 2 hours to avoid overcooking.
- You can either leave the lid on for faster cooking or leave it off. If you cover the pot, be sure to check every 30 minutes to ensure the water continues to simmer without boiling over.
Check if the meat easily separates from the bone. To determine if the pork knuckles are tender, take a piece of meat out of the pot and use a fork to pull off a small piece. If the meat separates easily from the bone, the knuckles are done. If the meat is still tough and clings to the bone or isn’t tender enough, return it to the pot and continue cooking.
Remove the cooked pork knuckle from the boiling water. Once the pork knuckle is cooked and the meat easily separates from the bone, turn off the heat and carefully use a large spoon to take the pork knuckle out of the boiling water. Place it on a cutting board or plate and allow it to cool for a few minutes before carving, slicing, or serving it whole.
- Boiled pork knuckles are perfect for soups, stews, or served with potatoes and salad.
- If you prefer crispier skin on your pork knuckle, you can place it in a pan or oven at 232°C (450°F) for about 20 minutes or broil it for 5-10 minutes to achieve that crispy texture.
