What Is Knuckle of Pork and Where Does the Name Come From?

The knuckle of pork is a part of the pork and at the same time describes a dish prepared with it. The piece, also called knuckle of pork, is located on the front and rear legs of the animal, between the tarsal joints and the knee or elbow joints. The flesh is streaky, but very tender and flavorful. It is surrounded by a thick layer of fat, which also benefits our Surhank.

Pork knuckle can be prepared in different ways. Depending on tradition and region, it is pre-cured and then boiled, grilled in the oven without curing, or roasted. The cooking times are relatively long at around two hours. But then the meat can be easily separated from the bone. Traditional side dishes for hearty meat dishes are sauerkraut, mashed potatoes or peas, but also pickled vegetables, bread, mustard and horseradish.

It is not clear where the name Eisbein comes from. There are various legends and theories. For example, the sturdy shin bones surrounded by knuckle meat were once used for ice skates. Even today, ice skates are called “isläggor” in Swedish and “islegg” in Norwegian, which literally translates to the German term for pork knuckle. Another theory says that the term can be traced back to an old word from the hunter and medical jargon for hip bone: the Old High German “īsbēn”.