Nigella Beer-braised Pork Knuckles With Caraway, Garlic, Apples And Potatoes

This easy Beer-Braised Pork Knuckles recipe is perfect for a hearty, comforting meal. With tender pork, crispy crackling, and a rich, flavorful gravy, it’s an ideal dish for family dinners or special occasions. Using simple, common ingredients like apples and potatoes, this dish offers a delicious, satisfying experience.

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes or 1 teaspoon pouring salt
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 pork knuckles/hocks, their rind scored
• 2 onions
• 2 eating apples (cored and quartered)
• 4 baking potatoes or just under 1kg / 2lb other main crop potatoes (cut into quarters lengthwise)
• 1 x 500 milliliters bottle of good amber or dark beer (not stout)
• 500 millilitres of boiling water

How To Make Beer-braised Pork Knuckles With Caraway, Garlic, Apples And Potatoes?

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C, gas mark 7 (425°F).
2. Prepare the Pork: In a bowl, mix the salt, caraway seeds, and garlic. Rub this mixture all over the pork hocks, making sure to get it into the scored rind.
3. Prepare the Onions: Place the sliced onions (300g) in a roasting tin, creating a bed for the pork hocks to sit on.
4. Roast the Hocks: Place the hocks on the onion bed and cook for 30 minutes in the hot oven.
5. Add Apples and Potatoes: Remove the tin from the oven and arrange the apples (300g) and potatoes (800g) around the hocks. Pour 250ml of the beer over the hocks.
6. Lower the Temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C, gas mark 3. Return the tin to the oven and cook for another 2 hours.
7. Increase the Temperature Again: After 2 hours, raise the oven temperature back to 220°C, gas mark 7. Baste the hocks with the remaining beer and cook for another 30 minutes.
8. Serve: Once done, remove the tin from the oven. Transfer the apples and potatoes to a warmed dish, then lift the hocks onto a carving board.
9. Make Gravy: Place the roasting tin on the hob over medium heat. Add 500ml of boiling water, stirring to de-glaze the pan and create a gravy.
10. Final Touch: Take the crackling off the pork, break it into pieces, pull apart or carve the meat, and serve with the apples, potatoes, gravy, and some German mustard.

Recipe Tips:

• Score the Pork Rind Well: Make sure to score the rind of the pork hocks deeply. This helps the seasoning and heat get inside, resulting in crispy crackling.
• Use a Good Beer: Choose a good amber or dark beer (not stout) for the braising liquid. The beer adds a rich depth of flavor to the pork.
• Baste the Pork: Don’t forget to baste the hocks with beer halfway through cooking. This helps keep the meat moist and adds extra flavor.
• Cook at a Low Temperature: After the initial high heat, cook the pork at a lower temperature for a long time to make the meat tender and juicy.
• Rest the Meat: After cooking, let the pork rest for a few minutes before carving. This helps the juices settle and keeps the meat moist.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature. Then, store the pork and gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: After cooling, store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container or wrap them tightly in foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: Heat the pork in a saucepan with some gravy or water over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 600 kcal
• Total Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Cholesterol: 100mg
• Sodium: 800mg
• Potassium: 800mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 40g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Sugars: 10g
• Protein: 40g

Try More Nigella  Lawson Recipes:

• Nigella Duck Legs And Potatoes Recipe
• Nigella Salt And Vinegar Potatoes
• Baked Pasta Shells Stuffed With Spinach and Ricotta

Nigella Beer-Braised Pork Knuckles With Caraway, Garlic, Apples and Potatoes

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cooking Method:Roasting Cuisine:German Courses:Dinner Recipe Keys: N Nigella Beer-Braised Pork Knuckles With Caraway G Garlic A Apples and Potatoes

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time:3 hours Rest time: 10 minutesTotal time:3 hours 25 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:600 kcal Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Description

This easy Beer-Braised Pork Knuckles recipe is perfect for a hearty, comforting meal. With tender pork, crispy crackling, and a rich, flavorful gravy, it’s an ideal dish for family dinners or special occasions. Using simple, common ingredients like apples and potatoes, this dish offers a delicious, satisfying experience.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes or 1 teaspoon pouring salt
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 pork knuckles/hocks, their rind scored
• 2 onions
• 2 eating apples (cored and quartered)
• 4 baking potatoes or just under 1kg / 2lb other main crop potatoes (cut into quarters lengthwise)
• 1 x 500 milliliters bottle of good amber or dark beer (not stout)
• 500 millilitres of boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C, gas mark 7 (425°F).
2. Prepare the Pork: In a bowl, mix the salt, caraway seeds, and garlic. Rub this mixture all over the pork hocks, making sure to get it into the scored rind.
3. Prepare the Onions: Place the sliced onions (300g) in a roasting tin, creating a bed for the pork hocks to sit on.
4. Roast the Hocks: Place the hocks on the onion bed and cook for 30 minutes in the hot oven.
5. Add Apples and Potatoes: Remove the tin from the oven and arrange the apples (300g) and potatoes (800g) around the hocks. Pour 250ml of the beer over the hocks.
6. Lower the Temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C, gas mark 3. Return the tin to the oven and cook for another 2 hours.
7. Increase the Temperature Again: After 2 hours, raise the oven temperature back to 220°C, gas mark 7. Baste the hocks with the remaining beer and cook for another 30 minutes.
8. Serve: Once done, remove the tin from the oven. Transfer the apples and potatoes to a warmed dish, then lift the hocks onto a carving board.
9. Make Gravy: Place the roasting tin on the hob over medium heat. Add 500ml of boiling water, stirring to de-glaze the pan and create a gravy.
10. Final Touch: Take the crackling off the pork, break it into pieces, pull apart or carve the meat, and serve with the apples, potatoes, gravy, and some German mustard.

Notes

• Score the Pork Rind Well: Make sure to score the rind of the pork hocks deeply. This helps the seasoning and heat get inside, resulting in crispy crackling.
• Use a Good Beer: Choose a good amber or dark beer (not stout) for the braising liquid. The beer adds a rich depth of flavor to the pork.
• Baste the Pork: Don’t forget to baste the hocks with beer halfway through cooking. This helps keep the meat moist and adds extra flavor.
• Cook at a Low Temperature: After the initial high heat, cook the pork at a lower temperature for a long time to make the meat tender and juicy.
• Rest the Meat: After cooking, let the pork rest for a few minutes before carving. This helps the juices settle and keeps the meat moist.

Keywords:Nigella Beer-Braised Pork Knuckles With Caraway, Garlic, Apples and Potatoes