Eisbein, hock or pork shank, is a classic of German gastronomy. It is a hard cut that, thanks to this recipe, becomes tender and tasty. Choose fresh or cured shank and season it with a pickle spice blend. Arrange the meat over the sauerkraut and roast it in the oven on low until tender. It is also possible to prepare Eisbein with slightly sweet sauerkraut using a slow cooker.
Ingrediants
Traditional Eisbein with Sauerkraut
- 1, 5 kg of fresh pork knuckle
- 520 g of sauerkraut
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water
- 3 small onions
- 7 juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of coriander
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cumin
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of caraway
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Doses for 3-4 servings
Eisbein Prepared with a Slow Cooker
- 700 g of sauerkraut
- 4 cups (1 l) of beef broth
- 2 apples
- 1 medium white onion or 2 tablespoons (10 g) of dried onion
- 2 cured or fresh pork shanks or 4 marrowbones
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) of caraway seeds
- 2 teaspoons (3 g) of juniper berries
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup (250 ml) of amber or dark beer (optional)
Doses for 4 servings
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Make Traditional Eisbein with Sauerkraut
Step 1. Preheat the oven and wash the pork shank
Set the oven to 200 ° C. Take 1.5 kg of fresh pork knuckle and wash it. Dab it with kitchen paper to dry it.
Washing the pork shank helps prevent the dish from becoming excessively salty
Step 2. Season the pork shank and cut the onions
Sprinkle the pork knuckle with salt and pepper, then set it aside. Peel 3 small onions and cut them in half.
You can use any type of onion
Step 3. Arrange the sauerkraut and pork knuckle on a baking sheet
Pour 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water into a shallow pan (22 x 33 x 5 cm). Evenly sprinkle 520 g of sauerkraut on the bottom of the pan. Place the pork shank on the sauerkraut.
Since pork shank releases fat, greasing the pan is optional. You could spray it with cooking spray before cooking the ingredients to make it easier to clean
Step 4. Add the onion and seasonings
Put the onion you cut and 2 bay leaves in the pan. Season the pork shank and sauerkraut with:
- 7 juniper berries;
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of coriander;
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cumin;
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of caraway;
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Step 5. Bake the Eisbein for 2 hours
Put a lid on the pan and put it in the oven. Cook the pork knuckle until the meat is completely tender. Allow around 2 hours.
Doesn't the pan have a lid? Cover it tightly with aluminum foil
Step 6. Use the oven grill if you want the Eisbein to have a crunchy skin
In the South African variant of this recipe, the meat is characterized by a crunchy skin. Remove the pork shank from the oven, then turn the oven grill to high and move the grill so that it is about 7-10cm away from the heat source. Place the shank on a baking sheet and arrange it on the wire rack below the grill. Turn the meat occasionally during cooking - the skin should become very crunchy. Allow around 20 minutes.
Step 7. Serve the Eisbein
Remove from the oven and plate the pork shank. Arrange the hot sauerkraut next to the meat and serve it with boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, or pea puree.
Eisbein can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days using an airtight container. Just heat it in the oven at a minimum (without exceeding 180 ° C). Take it out of the oven once it has heated up evenly
Method 2 of 2: Prepare the Eisbein with a Slow Cooker
Step 1. Wash the sauerkraut
Put a fine mesh colander in the sink. Pour 700 g of sauerkraut into the colander and turn on the cold water tap. Wash the sauerkraut and drain the excess water. Transfer the drained sauerkraut to a slow cooker that has a capacity of at least 4 liters. You can spray cooking spray inside the pot or insert a disposable liner to make cleaning easier.
By washing the sauerkraut you will prevent them from acquiring an overly intense taste while cooking the Eisbein. Otherwise their flavor could become predominant
Step 2. Cut the apples and onion
Peel 2 apples and 1 medium white onion. Cut an onion into cubes of about 12 mm using a sharp knife. Cut one of the apples into about 3 cm pieces. Grate the other apple using the thicker side of a grater. Put the onion and apples in the pot.
- You can use whatever apple variety you like. Keep in mind that sour apples (like Granny Smith or Pink Lady) go well with the taste of Eisbein.
- Fresh onion can be replaced with 2 tablespoons (10 g) of dried onion.
Step 3. Incorporate the beef stock and beer
Measure 4 cups (1 liter) of beef broth and pour it into the pot. You can also add 1 cup (250ml) of amber or dark beer for a richer, more intense taste. Stir the ingredients in the pot to mix them.
Step 4. Cook the meat and seasonings
Place 2 cured or fresh pork shanks, or 4 shanks, in the pot. Add 3 bay leaves, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons (4 g) of caraway seeds and 2 teaspoons (3 g) of juniper berries into them.
Step 5. Cook the Eisbein for 8 hours
Put the lid on the pot and set it to low. Cook the pork knuckle until the meat is completely tender. Allow about 8 hours. Serve it with sauerkraut, potato dumplings and mustard.
