Pork knuckle Czech style

Colorful, hearty, exuding an incredible palette of aromas, pork knuckle Czech style is a centerpiece of any festive table. The dish takes quite a long time to prepare, but the result exceeds all expectations.

To begin with, you need to acquire the right knuckle – the hind pig leg above the knee (it is more meaty and juicy). Next, it is studded with garlic, marinated in beer, and boiled in it. The next procedure involves coating the knuckle with a honey-based sauce and baking until golden brown.

Yield: 5 servings.

Preparation time: 8 hours.

Caloric content: 169 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Ingredients

• pork knuckle – 1 piece (1800 g);
• beer – 900 ml (2 cans) – 1500 ml;
• garlic – 3-4 cloves;
• white onion – 80 g;
• carrot – 130 g;
• bay leaf – 2-3 pieces;
• allspice – 8-10 berries;
• cloves – 8-10 flower buds;
• rock salt – 1 tablespoon.

Sauce:

• honey – 2 tablespoons;
• mustard – 1 tablespoon;
• soy sauce – 3 tablespoons.

Preparation

1. Prepare the ingredients. It is important to acquire a knuckle from the hind leg, as the front knee is less meaty, has a larger bone, and has fewer fat layers, which will lead to a dry result. You can use light beer, although in the classic version, dark varieties are usually used.

2. Set aside the products for the sauce. Honey can be used in either liquid or solid state. The blend of aromas is of no particular importance.

3. The knuckle should be thoroughly scraped with a knife until the skin becomes light and clean. If there’s any bristle left, scorch it over a gas flame.

4. Cut the garlic cloves lengthwise into thin slices.

5. Make incisions in the meat with a sharp knife and insert pieces of garlic into them, thus studding the entire meaty part of the knuckle.

6. Place the knuckle in a bowl of appropriate size and cover with beer – it should reach at least halfway up the preparation (ideally, the meat is fully submerged, but in that case, much more beer will be needed). Leave the knuckle to marinate for at least 4 hours (overnight is fine), turning it every 30 minutes so that the beer soaks the preparation evenly from all sides.

7. Then transfer the knuckle to a tall pot and fill it with roughly chopped carrots, onions, and all the spices.

8. Add water until the preparation is completely covered by the liquid and add salt. Boil the knuckle for 2 hours.

9. After the indicated time, remove it from the pot, dry it, and transfer it to a baking dish. The oven should be preheated to 180 degrees.

10. Prepare the sauce by combining all the components for it together.

11. Coat the meat on the sides and skin with the sauce on all sides.

12. Place the dish in the oven on a medium rack. After about 40-50 minutes, the skin will have golden edges, and the knuckle can be removed from the oven.

While the pork knuckle Czech style is cooking, a special atmosphere of ancient Prague is already being created in the house. This mainly happens due to the spread of the aromas of simmering beer, garlic, and spices. When served hot, the knuckle literally melts in the mouth, the tender and juicy pieces just dissolve, and the firm skin in a sweet-salty glaze further emphasizes the tender structure of the meat. The knuckle is served as a standalone dish, but often – together with sauerkraut. If the meat is cooled in the refrigerator, it can then be sliced very thin for sandwiches.