Schweinehax'n

[chardan]

Hi, folks!

I am develping a powerful, all-consuming craving for Schweinehax'n.

I've found a butcher willing to get me lovely pig's knuckles, so I

am ready to go for it! (Please assume that I'm starting with a raw, uncured

knuckle-- so if it should be brined or otherwise treated, I'll need to know about

it.)

I would like to make, if I'm capable of it, a great haxen at home. I've got

some friends who sound like they're a little nervous, but willing to try

this truly awesome dish. And I definitely am looking forward to it!

I will also need to learn to make the sauce, knoedel, and whatever else

the Bavarians here recommend to go with it!

All I need are some great recipes! :-)

Can anybody help? Thank you!!

Servus aus Oregon,

_Jesse Williamson ;-};

(My German is sufficient to read recipes, and I own a good kitchen scale--

so German recipes aren't a problem, though I'm sure that eGullet at large

would appreciate English renditions. But please make them authentic. I probably

don't have everything required, but I enjoy and am interested in surlhax'l as well.)

Fun link: "http://www.haxentest.de".

[ludja]

Can you remind more what this dish is like? It's roasted, no? I've heard of it many times and I think I had it once, but it was a long time ago.

I glanced at Mimi Sheraton's "The German Cookbook" and she has a recipe using pig knuckles called, "Schweinknoechel mit Sauerkraut" or "pig knuckles with sauerkraut". You saute some onions in butter, then add sauerkraut and caraway seeds. Saute a little more, then add cleaned knuckles pushing them down into the kraut. Then just add dry white wine to come up to the top of kraut and simmer slowly for 3-4 hours. The meat should be tender when pierced. She mentions that towards the end you can also add in potatoes or dumplings to also cook along in the pot.

[Apicio]

Here is a self-quote from a thread on Fresh Pork Hocks:

If you can get access to the October 1997 issue of Gourmet magazine, on page 250 under Forbidden Pleasures, you will find a wonderful recipe for “Crackling Pork Shank.” The author of the article claimed that he was lured by a New York Times restaurant review of Maloney & Porcelli, in midtown Manhattan, wherein the critic praised a dish of crackling pork shank, “an enormous mound of tender pork wrapped in its own crisp skin and served on an aromatic bed of poppyseed-sprinkled sauerkraut.” I cook this to reward myself each time I get a clean bill of health from my cardiologist.

[ludja]

It would be cool to hear some more details from that recipe, Apico...

Many of the recipes I found online (even in German) are similar to the type of recipe I gave above, i.e. cooked in sauerkraut rather than roasted to a "crackling" state.

Here is a link with some more description of the dish and some photos as well:

click

I wonder how they get that nice sauce? I saw some dish descriptions (from restaurants) that mention a dark beer sauce. That sounds pretty interesting. Maybe there is enough browning in the roasting pan to deglaze and go from there.

Per the link I gave, potato dumplings sound like they would go great with this. Less work, but also good, would be buttered, parslied potatoes. Red cabbage or sauerkraut could round out the rest of the plate.

[chardan]

I think that the type of hax'n I'm thinking about ends up with a deliciously crispy crust. Thanks for the replies!! :>

_Jesse Williamson ;-};

[legourmet]

I think that the type of hax'n I'm thinking about ends up with a deliciously crispy crust. Thanks for the replies!! :>

_Jesse Williamson ;-};

←

I'll send you in a PM some recipes. I can't do it in public because of copyrights.

[Tempest63]

I have a hankering for this dish brought about by a conversation with a work colleague, but my local Morrisons only sells Ham Hocks and not Pork Hocks/Shanks. I presume therefore that they have been cured?

I could soak them to remove as much brine and cure as possible, and the curing may introduce an improved flavour.

I don’t have a tried and tested recipe for Schweinshaxe but the one on recipe tin eats https://www.recipetineats.com/crispy-german-pork-knuckle-schweinshaxe-with-beer-gravy/#jump-watch and the accompanying video look really good.

 

[Duvel]

In Germany, Schweinshaxe is always made with uncured pork shanks. Cured ones are boiled and served as Eisbein ...

[rotuts]

@Tempest63

 

fine video.   looks exceptionally tasty.

 

you can soak out a lot of salt from cured meats

 

but you can't soak out the cure itself.

 

its irreversible protein change 

Edited July 16 by rotuts (log)

[Rickbern]

I make Stinco every winter, love the stuff , I attached the recipe for you

 

the minute you say hocks they’re gonna want to give you processed stuff. I buy them as pork shanks, I usually find them frozen 

 

https://www.seriouseats.com/bruce-aidells-stinco-braised-and-roasted-pork