Braised pork knuckle with dark beer

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 large pork knuckles, cured
• 150 g carrot(s)
• 150 g celeriac
• 150 g parsley root(s)
• 150 g leek(s)
• 250 g shallot(s)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 500 ml dark beer
• 1 tbsp, heaped paprika paste, mild
• 1 tbsp, heaped tomato paste
• 2 tbsp, heaped Dijon mustard
• 2 bay leaves, dried, shredded
• 1 rosemary sprig(s)
• 1 tsp, heaped peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 1 tsp, leveled allspice berries, coarsely crushed
• n. B. smoked salt
• a little clarified butter for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 50 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 20 minutes

Remove the cured pork knuckles from the refrigerator about 2-3 hours in advance and cover them for the time being. Clean and roughly chop all the roots, shallots, and garlic cloves. Brown everything in a lightly greased casserole dish, stirring frequently. After about 5 minutes, stir in the mustard, tomato paste, and paprika and sauté gently until a light browning has formed. Then deglaze the mixture with the beer. Loosen the browning, stir in the spices without salt, and bring everything to a boil. Place the pork knuckles on top and close the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to 240°C (top/bottom heat). The cooking temperature for the first 20 minutes is 240°C (top/bottom heat). Then reduce the temperature to 180°C (top/bottom heat) and braise the pork knuckles for another 3 hours without any further intervention, until they are buttery soft. Remove the pork knuckles from the roasting pan, place them on a baking sheet, and return them to the oven with the grill on to brown the skin until the rind begins to pop. During this time, strain the sauce. Before serving, skim off the fat and season with smoked salt, if desired.