Pork Knuckle German Style (Schweinshaxe)

What is Schweinshaxe

Schweinshaxe – also known as Bavarian or German Pork Knuckle is my pork-porn coming to life! Haha!

This roasted knuckle of pork with crispy skin and gravy is often found in beer halls and pubs across Germany and Austria. It is also a firm favourite for us Australians too.

This crispy pork knuckle recipe is a revamp of my original recipe published back in 2017. It is an awesome keto-friendly simple dinner. We all love a recipe that takes only a few minutes to prepare, right?

Related Recipe Sweet and Sour Pork / Country Style Boneless Pork Ribs

The Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the quantity of each ingredient used in our low carb recipe for German Pork Knuckle.

Pork knuckle – also known as pork hock or ham hock. I ordered mine from the local butcher. At only $7kg it was super cheap. While I have seen some in the local supermarkets, it is always worth asking your butcher for them. Make sure you ask for the pig knuckle, not cured (you don’t want ham hocks).

Spices – I use a traditional combination of caraway seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and juniper berries. All the spices except juniper berries are readily available in the supermarket. If you are a gin lover you will know the distinct pine and peppery flavour of juniper. You can leave it out but is well worth sourcing some online or at good markets.

Pork Knuckle Gravy

Most roast pork knuckle recipes are served with German beer gravy. Following a low carb, sugar-free lifestyle I wanted to not use dark beer.

If you would prefer to make a beer / bier gravy, then just swap out the Vegemite and 1 cup of stock and use a 375ml bottle of your favourite German dark beer, or Bighead Lager for a low carb version.

While not added to this gravy, you can also add 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a tablespoon of American yellow mustard. Sounds weird but tastes awesome in gravy. It also is perfect for keto gravy.

Collagen helps to thicken the gravy. You can leave it out if you prefer or you can substitute 1 teaspoon of gelatin powder.

As an additional low-carb gravy thickener, I have used xanthan gum or glucomannan powder. If you prefer, you can just use cornstarch or tapioca powder.

HOT TIP: When making keto gravy if you have over-thickened or it is slimy, just add more liquid and whisk. It really is simple to thin it with extra chicken or beef stock or just water.

Step 1. Place juniper berries, salt flakes, pepper, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds in a mortar and crush with a pestle. (Alternatively, pulse in a food processor or blender). Transfer to a small bowl

Step 2. Score pork knuckle with a sharp knife or prick all over with knife. Rub with spices and one tablespoon of oil. Place onto a plate and chill uncovered overnight (image below).

Step 3. Add all gravy ingredients except collagen and xanthan gum to a roasting pan. Position a wire rack over the top and place the pork knuckle into position. Leave to rest while the oven preheats. PREHEAT oven to 150°C fan/170°C static (325°F).

Step 4. Roast the pork knuckle for 3 hours or until it is tender. (You can gently pull a bit of the meat at the base of the knuckle to check). Remove from the oven. Turn oven up to 240°C fan/ 260°C static (500°F). Place pork onto a lined baking tray. Brush with extra oil or vinegar and bake for a further 30-40 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Step 5. Strain gravy. Add collagen and xanthan gum (or glucomannan powder). Cook, whisking, until thickened. Strain again if needed.

Step 6. Serve the roasted schweinshaxe with your favourite mash. I have served it with cauliflower mash. I find it also pairs really well with chimichurri and gremolata.

In the recipe card below, I have given an alternative cooking method. You can cook German pork knuckle in a Thermomix or thermal cooker. Steaming pork knuckles makes it really tender and renders fat. Bake in a very hot oven afterwards helps to crisp the pig skin into the crispiest pork crackle.