Bavarian pork knuckle

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 ½ kg pork knuckle(s)
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp caraway seeds
• 1 garlic clove(s), chopped
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 300 ml broth or meat stock
• 200 ml beer
• possibly sauce thickener

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 50 minutes

Rinse the pork knuckle and pat dry. Use a knife to score the skin in diamond-shaped patterns. Be careful not to cut through the fat, or the knuckle will dry out during roasting. Mix the salt, caraway seeds, chopped garlic, and pepper and crush them in a mortar. Rub the knuckle with the spice mixture. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Peel the onion and cut into large pieces. Heat the oil in a roasting pan and sear the knuckle briefly and quickly on all sides. Add the onion pieces, let it cook briefly, deglaze with the stock, and place the roasting pan in the oven. Roast for about 2.5 hours, turning frequently and basting with stock and then beer. The roasting pan should always have some liquid at the bottom. Shortly before the end of the cooking time, increase the temperature to 230 degrees Celsius and roast until crispy. Remove the knuckle and keep warm. Strain the meat juices through a sieve, thicken slightly if necessary, and season to taste. Serve with the roasted pork knuckle.