Knuckle of pork german style

Seems like german knuckle of pork is quite popular in Thailand or at least the kind of dish thai people think would be the german fattening treat. Funny thing is when my wife was in germany for the first time she asked for that kind of food but we had no luck to get it as I am living in northern Germany where other kind of food is popular. (What she had to found out herself because I did not tell her for good reasons is how much colder and rainy it is here than in the south.)

Anyway, having had pork knuckle more often in Thailand than in Germany I decided to show her how it is really done instead of the horrible deep fried "ka moo tord". Actually it has to be grilled instead of fried.

First you have to buy some pork knuckles. The Dr. Oetker cooking book suggests 800 gram each (one knuckle per person) but the bavarian book says 1,200. We opted for the latter.

Back in the kitchen the knuckles have to be washed and rubebd dry afterwards. Then you rub some freshly grounded pepper on the skin. you can add some other herbs like rosemary according to your taste but we will stick with the basic recipe for now.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a pictrue until they were in the oven.

For a fan oven the temperature should be put at 160 degree celsius. No idea how much that is in Fahrenheit.

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There should be a bit more water then I put first: About 1 cm (1/3 of an inch).
You can just put water in the fat collecting tin or like I did half water half vegetable stock.

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Yummy yummy yummy, that's something I don't get often in a country that does not eat much pork. Fortunately for me I live 10 mins away from a gernan university that has a bar with a german cheff, so I can get some !

Pork knuckle is indeed quite popular here. I've spoken to a few Germans, and they all seem to have their own way of doing it- I guess it varies between regions. Some like it boiled, some roast, some deep fried. One variation too is that the knuckle is brined before being cooked- becoming like a mild ham.

Big in the Filipines too- crispy Pata (deep fried) or Pata tim (boiled). The secret there is the luvly garlicy, vinegary sauce they serve it with.

Anyway, yummy. bring it on! :)

Knuckle??? Looks like a leg to me, I bought a few of those at Big C awhile back and took over to the school for the kids lunch program.

Blackgang, do pigs in the US have such short legs?
I have to admit though the main reason to call it like that is that the recipe calls it "knuckle of pork" but I bought a bit bigger pieces.

But let's continue.
From time to time the meat should be burshed with the juices collected below. After some while it will hopefully look like this:
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Sometimes they should be turned around. This goes on for 2 1/4 hours. Then you put some onions cut in quarters in the tin.
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Afterwards the roasting goes on for another hour but now the knuckles (or legs for pigs from Blackgang county) should be brushed with beer.

When the knuckles are ready, being nice crispy on the outside, the meat has to be cut from the bones.
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What would match better than Sauerkraut? If you thinkit is a bit too sour as it comes (like us) you should put some pineapple pieces into the kraut.
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My wife made some potato dumplings though I would say that was more like mashed potatos formed to balls but delicious anyway.
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Guten Appetit
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I have to say I am far from being a good cook or even a mediocre cook. This recipe is really easy so even with so much lacking talent in cooking as me the outcome was really nice. It just takes a lot of time, about four hours.

Tried to green you, but I am short of ammo. Looks yummy. :yumyum:

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Originally Posted by Fabian

Blackgang, do pigs in the US have such short legs?

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Small pigs do have short legs, and those are called pig legs here in Thailand and are the last joint between the elbow and shoulder.
We sometimes buy them for our donation to the school lunch program and my wife simmers them with soy sauce and spices and water as she really likes em.
And in US off of a slightly larger hog they are called Boston Butts, or Picnic Hams, and are used a lot in Southern BBQ places.
Looks delicious, and I just had Green curry Nomai and atlantic north sea Cod loin fillets for supper.
If I would have looked at the pics before supper I might have hurt myself.

PS. if our Kraut comes out a little to sour, I just put it in a collundar and rinse it with some fresh water and it does wonders for it, My grandmas kraut was to sour sometimes too, but you better eat what was on your plate or it made your ass sting.

You guys really have the right priorities. I never got so many greens for a travel thread. Thanks to all.

Great stuff Fabian, If roasting as you are you might like to try cutting the skin away from the fat a bit and inserting pieces of Lard or butter. Crisps the skin up more and keeps the knuckle moist.

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Originally Posted by peterpan

n away from the fat a bit and inserting pieces of Lard or butter.

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Thats the trouble with Thai Pork, got to add fat to sausage, and roast pork here is a laugh,
Who in their right mind would kill a skinny hog?
Sure the fuck not me, dry sumbitches.

Try rubbing the skin in salt before cooking. Makes for crispy skin. Serve with apple sauce, sage and onion stuffing and roast potatoes, for those who are not keen on sauerkraut..

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Originally Posted by Fabian

I never got so many greens

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Love the stuff. Schweinehaxen in German isn't it? Ate it often when I was working in Germany. The first time I ordered it for a "light lunch" was told it was pigs knuckle. Had no idea I was about to get a huge ham hock that would feed a family of 4.

Have another green.

Schweinshaxe, Norton. So you have probably been to Bavaria I guess.

I have been asked what kind of oven is it. It is a Whirlpool oven made for IKEA. The whole kitchen was already in the house. I cannot recommend that brand as the control unit for the hob already broke.
Touch control is nice for looks but not the most convenient to use so I would opt for proper knobs and I am not talking about any member of the forum here.

Looks lovely. Great thread Fabian!

Greened!

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Originally Posted by Fabian

So you have probably been to Bavaria I guess.

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Sure was and along with the pork knuckle consumed large quantities of beer. Was some sort of autumn festival.;)

In Pattaya I buy them at Foodland, good fresh kraut to.