Spreewald pork knuckle brawn

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 large pork knuckle(s), unsalted
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 allspice berries
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 carrots
• 1 celery
• 1 leek
• 6 gherkins (Spreewald)
• 15 pearl onions
• 3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar, white
• 6 sheets of gelatin

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 18 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 15 minutes; Total time approx. 20 hours 25 minutes

delicious home cooking

Place the pork knuckle in warm water, just enough to cover. Add the bay leaves, allspice berries, and salt, and bring to a boil. Peel and press the garlic clove. Roughly dice the onion, including the skin. Roughly chop a carrot, celery, and leek, and add everything to the meat. Simmer gently, otherwise the broth will become cloudy. It will take about 2 hours. Test for doneness. Remove the meat, let it cool, remove it from the bone, and dice it. If desired, you can use some fat; otherwise, trim the rind after cooking. Thinly slice the carrots. Strain 600 ml of the broth through a sieve into another pot and cook the carrot slices until al dente. Season with vinegar—it’s always more acidic when hot than when cooled. Dissolve the soaked and squeezed-out gelatin in the liquid while it’s still boiling. Slice the gherkins and place them in a bowl or container with the pearl onions and meat. Pour over the stock and stir well. Set aside to cool, then cover and refrigerate. After about 18 hours, everything will be firm and ready to slice. Serve with fried potatoes and tartar sauce. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. My mother used to make aspic using the same recipe back in the 70s, but back then she used a pig’s head. She didn’t need to use gelatin; it set just fine.