Eisbein - pork leg in beer

Description

Eisbein - pork knuckle is an inseparable part of German cuisine. Eisbein literally translates as “ice leg”, although, it would seem, what does ice have to do with a dish that is boiled or baked in the oven and served hot? Everything is explained simply. According to one of the versions that have survived to this day, at a time when iron skates had not yet been invented, German boys rode on runners made of pig bones, and called this structure "ice leg" - eisbein. There are a huge number of recipes. For cooking, fresh or salted legs are used, they are pre-marinated, or cooked natural, baked, boiled. And every house has its own “special” recipe.

Cooking

Step 1

Make a spiral incision on the skin of the leg.

Step 2

Grate the onion on a coarse grater, chop the garlic very finely. Mix all the ingredients and rub the leg with this mixture. Put the leg in a bowl (wrap in foil) and put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Step 3

Put juniper, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, pepper, salt into the water, boil. Remove from fire and cool. Put the shank in a deep bowl and pour cold brine (the water should completely cover the meat). Cover and leave in a cool place overnight.

Step 4

Cut the onion into rings and chop the garlic. Put onion and garlic on the bottom of a cast-iron (ceramic, glass) patch, add sugar and mix. Remove the stem from the brine and place on top of the onion. Pour the meat with beer, cover with a lid and put in the oven. Bake at a temperature of 160 ° C for about three hours, pouring a little beer over the meat every hour.

Step 5

Remove the lid from the patch, increase the heating temperature to 200-220 ° C and leave the leg in the oven for another half an hour to evaporate excess liquid and form a crisp. Serve the finished leg with stewed cabbage or potatoes.