Munich Schweinshaxe

Ingredients

• •Pork knuckle
• •Caraway seeds
• •Garlic
• •Onion
• •Dark beer
• •Bay leaves
• •Salt
• •Black pepper

Steps

1. 1Score the skin of a whole pork knuckle in a crosshatch pattern, which helps the fat render and the skin crackle evenly during roasting.
2. 2Rub the knuckle all over with salt, crushed garlic, and caraway seeds, working the seasoning into the scored cuts so it penetrates the meat.
3. 3Place the knuckle in a roasting pan on a bed of roughly chopped onion, carrot, and celery, along with a couple of bay leaves, then pour in a mixture of dark beer and water until it comes partway up the sides.
4. 4Roast the knuckle low and slow in a covered pan for a couple of hours, basting occasionally with the pan liquid so the meat stays moist while it becomes tender.
5. 5Once the meat is nearly falling off the bone, uncover the pan and raise the oven temperature significantly, continuing to roast uncovered so the skin dries out and begins to blister.
6. 6Baste the skin periodically with a little more beer or its own rendered fat during this final stage to encourage even, deep crackling.
7. 7Keep roasting until the skin is uniformly crisp and deeply golden-brown, checking that it shatters slightly when tapped rather than staying chewy.
8. 8Rest the knuckle briefly, then carve and serve with the reduced pan juices, alongside sauerkraut and a large potato dumpling in the traditional Bavarian style.