Pork knuckle is considered to be an excellent product for creating all kinds of culinary masterpieces. Most often, on the basis of the hind legs, cooks prepare second hot dishes, as well as rich jellied meat. And only real gourmets know that a delicious pork knuckle after skillful cooking becomes a truly appetizing and satisfying treat. A variety of sauces, seasonings, marinades and spices give meat a unique taste and aroma.
Dishes from pork shank, baked in the oven, are in perfect harmony with vegetables and are considered the most balanced option. Such treats have a delicate taste and an unforgettable aroma. Today, pork shank recipes are extremely diverse. So in order to appreciate this mouth-watering product, you just have to cook it for any one you like.
Product selection
When choosing a suitable pork knuckle in a supermarket or in the market, be sure to pay attention to its smell and appearance. Closely examine the skin - good meat will be covered with light, almost white skin, devoid of any stains. The product itself should be quite dense and elastic, with a minimum amount of fatty layers.
Try clicking on the meat: a good shank will immediately take its original shape. But the stale product will remain crumpled. The darker the meat and fat, the tougher and drier the dish will be made from it. By the way, for baking pork shank in the oven, it is advisable to give preference to the back leg, which is usually more fleshy.
Preparation
Before you start cooking pork shank in a slow cooker or oven, you need to prepare it. To do this, the purchased leg should be slightly burned over the fire, and then thoroughly clean the skin with a knife or wire brush. Then rinse the knuckle thoroughly under running water. Only after that you can safely begin to prepare the intended dish.
If you want to make the meat more tender and soft, additionally soak it by placing it in a deep container and pouring milk. In this state, the knuckle should be left for a couple of hours. Then take out the product, rinse again and remove the remaining liquid with paper towels. Now all you have to do is learn how to cook the pork knuckle.
Recipes
As a rule, such meat is not served whole, but is divided in portions. Therefore, the amount of product you should determine yourself. Only one thing is important - to know exactly how to cook a juicy pork shank. You need to familiarize yourself not only with the process itself, but also with some tricks.
Today, one of the most popular is the recipe for pork shank baked in the sleeve. Naturally, such a dish is cooked exclusively in the oven. It turns out that this treat is incredibly juicy, tasty and fragrant. Such a treat is perfect for a festive table. To prepare the pork shank in the sleeve you will need:
- on a tablespoon of tomato paste and mayonnaise;
- a few cloves of garlic;
- a teaspoon of dried rosemary;
- the same amount of thyme;
- salt and pepper to your taste.
This list is for one medium-sized leg. If you plan to cook a larger dish, then do not forget to adjust the list of necessary products.
Cooking process
In a bowl, mix black ground pepper, thyme, rosemary, salt and a couple of cloves of grated garlic. You can replace the last component as you wish with a dry mixture. In the shank with a knife, make small cuts and stuff the meat with cloves of garlic. Then rub the leg with the prepared mixture of spices, put in a plastic bag and tie so that there is no air left in it. In this state, put the pickled meat in the refrigerator and leave for a day. By the way, do not rush to throw spices remaining after lubrication - put off the mass until the next day.
After the set time, remove the shank, place in a large pot, fill with water and put on a slow fire. Boil the leg for about an hour. But even after the cooking is over, do not rush to get the meat out of the water. Leave the shank for another half hour in a hot broth. Only then can you get cooked meat.
Mix the tomato paste with mayonnaise, add the remaining seasonings. With the prepared mixture, rub the knuckle again and put it in the cooking sleeve, knit it well, pierce several holes with a toothpick and lay the meat on a baking sheet. Bake the leg for an hour at a temperature of 200 degrees. Then pull out the baking sheet, cut open the sleeve completely and put the shank back in the oven to make it brown. Quite enough 10 minutes. Are you curious how to cook pork shank in foil? Similar! This recipe is universal, and is perfect for those who use not only special sleeves, but also foil.
Pork shank in beer
This traditional Bavarian dish turns out to be unusually fragrant and delicate. In Germany, such a treat is considered one of the most beloved treats for every resident. With a minimum of effort, you can cook a truly delicious, satisfying dish. How to cook pork shank in beer? Very simple! Stock up on all the necessary ingredients, free time and, of course, desire.
Before directly preparing the pork shank in beer, professional chefs recommend paying special attention to the preparation of meat. It is advisable to soak the purchased leg in milk or ordinary water for at least 5-6 hours, and it is best to leave it overnight.
Grocery list
To prepare a classic Bavarian dish you will need:
- 2 kg of the shank itself - the number of legs in this case can be absolutely anything;
- 2 liters of dark beer;
- head of garlic;
- carrots and onions;
- a few bay leaves;
- a tablespoon of French mustard;
- the same amount of honey and salt;
- a pinch of caraway seeds;
- 10 g of black and allspice;
- 5 g cloves.
Of course, such a set of products is unlikely to be in every home. However, if you want to impress your guests with a nutritious delicate dish or just surprise the household with a new culinary delight, do not waste your time and money. Do not hesitate, the result will exceed all your expectations!
Step cooking
Properly prepared shank put in a pan and pour beer. Set to maximum fire. Peel the vegetables, stick the cloves directly in the onion. After the broth has boiled, reduce the heat and remove the resulting foam. Put prepared spices and vegetables in a pan. Cook the shank for two hours. Then remove it and cool. Make a few small incisions in the leg and stuff with the cloves of garlic.
Combine honey, mustard and 2 tablespoons of beer stock and grate the shank with the mixture. After that, send the meat to the oven, heated to 180 degrees, for half an hour. In this case, the knuckle must be poured several times with the broth in which it was cooked. And after the set time you can safely get the meat and serve. By the way, it is best to serve the shank hot, you can pre-cut it portionwise if the leg is too big.
A traditional side dish for dishes prepared according to the Bavarian recipe is ordinary sauerkraut. However, the juicy pork shank is in perfect harmony with potatoes and various vegetables. To spice up the dish, serve the leg with mustard: regular or in grains.
Pork knuckle in a multicooker
Such a recipe will surely come in handy for confident users of modern technology. How to cook a pork knuckle in a slow cooker and what will it take? In principle, there is nothing unusual in this cooking method. You must also pre-buy meat and prepare it, as well as purchase additional ingredients. You will need:
- several bay leaves;
- large onion;
- a couple of garlic cloves;
- ground paprika;
- salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking steps
As usual, wash and clean the shank. Peel the vegetables, chop the onion and garlic as finely as possible and mix with paprika, pepper and salt. It is advisable to take a teaspoon of each ingredient, but, depending on your own preferences, you can change the number of products. Rub the leg on all sides with the mixture and leave to marinate for a couple of hours.
After the specified time, put the prepared meat in the bowl of the multicooker, pour 2 cups of water, throw bay leaves and peppercorns. Cook the shank for an hour by selecting the "Stew" mode. As you can see, in the multicooker the leg is made much faster.
By the way, after the meat is stewed, you can serve the whole pork knuckle or even cook a spicy roll of it. To do this, you will need to separate the meat from the bones, flatten it with the skin down and sprinkle with spices. You can use chopped garlic, salt and chopped herbs. Roll the meat into a roll, tie with a thread and put in the refrigerator. Delicacy should be marinated for 2-3 days.
Now you know how to cook the pork knuckle, making it truly juicy, nutritious and fragrant. So all you have to do is pick up a suitable recipe and start pleasant experiments.