Cut only the rind
The rhombuses open the fat layer and facilitate crunching. Deep cuts in the meat allow juice to leak out unnecessarily during the long cooking period.
German Recipe
Bavarian pork knuckle with dark beer gravy
The rind of raw, unpeeled pork shaxes is cut and rubbed with salt, pepper and cumin. Long oven time makes the meat tender; high final heat makes the crust pop.
Total time
3 hr 45 min
Calories
940 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Delicate Pig Shaxes with Cracking Crust
A good pork shax needs two temperature phases. First, the bonded-woven meat becomes slowly soft, while onions, garlic, spices and dark beer form a strong roast juice. Only when the meat almost dissolves from the bone, strong heat ensures a dry, crispy rind.
Dinner
German Recipes
Meat
Recipe
Bavarian pork knuckle with dark beer gravy
Bavarian pork shaxe cooks slowly on onions and spices, is watered with dark beer and finally crispy all around at high heat.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
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1
Cut the rind
Preheat the oven to 150 °C top/bottom heat. Cut the rind with a very sharp knife in the shape of a diamond, but do not cut deep into the meat.
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2
Seasoning and putting on
Mix ground caraway, salt and pepper and rub in the haxes all around. Place onions, garlic, whole caraway, bay leaf and cloves in a casserole. Place haxes upright on top and pour in 200 ml of hot water.
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3
Slowly cook
Roast Haxen open for 110 to 120 minutes. Pour the frying juice every 30 minutes and add the remaining hot water if necessary.
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4
Continue cooking with dark beer
Pour 400 ml of beer into the casserole side, not directly over the rind. Cook for another 55 to 65 minutes until the meat is very soft and gives in to the joint.
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5
Crustle crispy roasting
Remove Haxen briefly and raise the oven to 220 °C. Dip rind dry, re-place Haxen and roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch and rotate so that the crust does not burn.
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6
Cook dark beer sauce
Let Haxen rest for 10 minutes. Remove laurels and cloves from the casserole, puree browned residue with onions and boil with remaining beer. Stir in the starch if needed and cook for 2 minutes. Season and reach to the Haxe.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Bavarian pork knuckle with dark beer gravy
Pour beer sideways
If the rind remains as dry as possible, it will be crooked later. So put the liquid in the casserole and pour only the meat part with frying juice.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace dark beer with a mix of 400 ml of strong meat broth and 100 ml of naturally cloudy apple juice. Season the sauce with little malt vinegar at the end.
Dice two carrots and 150 g celery roughly and add them together with the onions in the casserole. The vegetables are later purified with the sauce.
Nutrition per serving
940kcal
18.0 gCarbohydrates
65.0 gProtein
65.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Bavarian pork knuckle with dark beer gravy
Raw, unpeeled back or front haxes with rind are used. Smoked or already salted haxes need a different preparation.
It must be cut in, well salted and dry before the hot final phase. Roast at 220 °C and constantly observe until the surface throws bubbles.
The haxe reaches well over 80 °C core temperature, the joint can be easily moved and a knife glides into the meat without great resistance.
The connective tissue takes time to soften. If the haxe were fried very hot from the beginning, the crust would be dark before the meat is tender.
Potato dumplings, sauerkraut, cabbage salad or a simple potato salad fit the strong sauce. A sour side dish balances the fat-rich meat.
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