📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to a bustling Munich beer hall with this quintessential Bavarian masterpiece. Featuring a shatteringly crisp, bubbly 'crackling' skin and succulent, melt-in-your-mouth meat, this pork knuckle is slow-roasted on a rotisserie to ensure even rendering and peak tenderness. Infused with caraway, garlic, and a dark lager baste, it is the ultimate celebration of rustic German comfort food.
🥗 Ingredients
The Pork
- 2 pieces Pork Knuckles (Haxe) (rear knuckles preferred, approximately 2-3 lbs each)
- 3 tablespoons Kosher Salt (for dry-brining the skin)
The Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons Caraway Seeds (toasted and lightly crushed)
- 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns (coarsely ground)
- 4-5 pieces Juniper Berries (crushed)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Marjoram
Basting Liquid & Drip Pan
- 12 ounces German Dark Lager (Dunkel) (one full bottle)
- 1 large Yellow Onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 medium Carrots (chopped into chunks)
- 1 piece Celery Stalk (chopped)
- 4 pieces Garlic Cloves (smashed)
- 1 cup Beef or Pork Stock
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Using a very sharp knife or a clean box cutter, score the skin of the pork knuckles in a diamond pattern or horizontal lines, being careful to cut through the skin and fat but not into the meat.
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2
Rub the 3 tablespoons of kosher salt aggressively into the scored skin, ensuring plenty of salt gets into the slits. Place the knuckles on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to dry out the skin.
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3
When ready to cook, rinse the excess salt off the knuckles and pat them bone-dry with paper towels. Let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
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4
In a mortar and pestle, grind the caraway seeds, peppercorns, and juniper berries. Mix with the garlic powder and marjoram. Rub this spice blend into the meat sections of the knuckle (the bottom and sides where meat is exposed), avoiding the skin as much as possible.
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5
Thread the knuckles onto your rotisserie spit, ensuring they are balanced and tightly secured with the forks so they don't flop during rotation.
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6
Preheat your grill or oven to 325°F (160°C) for indirect heat. Place a drip pan directly under where the meat will spin.
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7
Fill the drip pan with the chopped onion, carrots, celery, smashed garlic, beef stock, and half of the dark beer.
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8
Mount the spit and start the rotisserie motor. Close the lid and roast for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours.
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9
Every 30 minutes, lightly baste the meat (not the skin) with the remaining beer. If the liquid in the drip pan evaporates, add a splash of water to prevent the vegetables from burning.
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10
Check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat; it should be around 175°F (80°C). The meat needs to be tender enough to pull away from the bone.
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11
Now for the crackling: Increase the heat to 450°F (230°C) or turn on the infrared back burner of your grill. Watch closely as the skin begins to bubble and puff up. This usually takes 15-20 minutes.
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12
Once the skin is golden brown and 'shatters' when tapped with a knife, remove the spit from the heat.
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13
Let the knuckles rest on the spit for 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute while the skin stays crisp.
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14
Strain the contents of the drip pan into a saucepan, skim off the excess fat, and simmer until reduced by half to create a rich 'Bier-Jus' to serve alongside.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the crispest skin, ensure the pork is completely dry before it hits the heat; moisture is the enemy of crackling. If you don't have a rotisserie, you can use a roasting rack, but rotate the knuckles manually every 30 minutes for even browning. Avoid basting the skin during the final high-heat stage, as liquid will turn the crackling soft and chewy. Use a dark, malty beer like a Doppelbock or Dunkel; lighter pilsners can become bitter when reduced into a sauce.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of traditional Sauerkraut sautéed with bacon and apples. Pair with 'Semmelknödel' (German bread dumplings) to soak up the rich beer gravy. A cold glass of Munich Dunkel or a crisp Hefeweizen is the mandatory beverage pairing. Include a dollop of sharp Bavarian sweet mustard on the side for dipping the meat chunks.