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.
How To Make It
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Local butchers are great. If they do not have them they can order in for you.
You can use a beef shin on the bone (baked Thor’s Hammer in the oven), or lamb shanks. If using either of these, just place the piece of meat directly into the gravy. Cook until the meat pulls away from the bone. Then reduce gravy,
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Pork Knuckle – German Style Schweinshaxe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries optional
- 1 teaspoon salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pork knuckle see notes (1.25 kg / 2.8 pounds)
GRAVY
- 1/2 large onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 medium carrot roughly chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Vegemite
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sweetener
- 1 tablespoon collagen
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions
CONVENTIONAL (BAKING) METHOD
- COMBINE – 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
- PREPARE – 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 (see notes).
- PLACE all gravy ingredients except collagen and xanthan gum into a baking dish. Position a wire rack over the top and place the pork knuckle into position. Leave to rest while oven preheats.
- PREHEAT oven to 150°C fan/170°C static (325°F).
- BAKE – slow roast pork for 3 hours. Remove pork and gravy from 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.
- SERVE – Pour gravy through a sieve into a small saucepan. Discard solids (see notes). Place saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk in collagen and xanthan gum. Whisk until thickened (see notes). Serve roasted pork with gravy and your favourite mash.
THERMAL METHOD
- COMBINE – Place juniper berries, salt flakes, pepper, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds into mixer; chop 10 sec/speed 10. Pour into a small bowl.
- PREPARE – 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 (see notes).
- STEAM – (or follow from step 3 above). Add 1500 ml of water to mixer bowl. Place pork knuckle into steaming dish and lock into place; cook 90min/steam temp/speed 2. Discard water.
- PLACE all gravy ingredients into mixer; cook 15 min/110°C/reverse/speed1/cap off. Pour gravy through a sieve and discard solids (see notes). If it needs more time to thicken place it back into the mixer and extend the time.
- PREHEAT oven 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. Serve roasted pork with gravy and your favourite mash.
Video
Notes
Your Own Notes
Nutrition
45 responses to “Pork Knuckle German Style (Schweinshaxe)”
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What an easy dish to prepare and cook. The aroma coming from the kitchen was wonderful during that initial long, slow, cook to render the fat. Then I ramped up the heat and popped it back in for the skin to crisp up and just as I guessed, there was no splattering of hot fat around the oven – BONUS!
Then to the serving up and eating of this amazing dish – we had it on a base of Creamy Cauli Mash with the easy-to-make gravy drizzled over. Oh MY!! What a divine dish!! We’ll definitely be having this again! Thanks for another amazing dish, Megan – you really are THE BEST!! 😋🤩🥰-
Oh, I am so happy to hear it went so well Eileen. I love this recipe and it is great to know it is still winning fans after all these years.
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This German Pork Knuckle recipe was a significant change up at dinner. I really enjoyed it and plan on making it again soon. Great tips!-
So good to hear Heidy!
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My husband is a HUGE pork fan and this dish is one of his favourites. Your technique and ingredients are flawless!-
Yay! Thank you Ksenia. I hope you and the hubster love it.
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This German style pork knuckle looks amazing. This looks like something my whole family will. Thanks for such a detailed recipe, I can’t wait to try it.-
Enjoy it Debbie. Let us know how it went.
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I’ve had schweinshaxe in Bavaria many times even at the Oktoberfest but never made it myself. Not sure why! But going to change that soon as yours looks so very good, it’s inspired me to give it a try!-
Time to get cooking!
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So good! Loved every single bite! I’m going to try the ingredients over chicken and see if it will taste good….I”m thinking it will! Have you ever tried using chicken?-
I haven’t but I am sure it would be just as delicious!
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Everything about this recipe was fantastic- the gravy, the crackling and the juicy pork knuckle! I wouldn’t change anything about it. Total hit with the family.-
Yay! I love hearing that. Maddy!
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This recipe was wonderful- very similar to something my grandmother used to make during the winter months. We served it with a side of potato dumplings and salad. It’s easy but also elegant enough for the holidays.-
Yes dumplings is very traditional with schweinshaxe
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Amazing recipe. It takes some time to cook, but it’s completely worth it. The meat is tender, and the gravy is fabulous.-
Yay! So happy it turned out well for you Helene
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This pork knuckle looks amazing, especially that crackling skin. This is going on my holiday menu goals if I can source out those ingredients. Thanks for sharing.-
Enjoy!
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This looks delicious, perfect as holiday meal. Crispy skin and juicy meat so yum.-
It is soooo good!
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A restaurant caliber recipe for sure! This is impressive enough for holiday guests, the gravy ingredients are intriguing – especially the vegemite, and I’m eager to make this!! A whole new way to enjoy pork.-
It sure is!
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That gravy looks really flavorful! Such an interesting way to use vegemite.
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It sure is.
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This looks like a wonderful recipe for the holidays! What a unique recipe to spice it up!-
A little twist on the original lol
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This is comfort food at the highest level. Perfect for Sunday dinner. Leftovers would be great for during the week too.-
Such a good dinner!
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So delicious! I finished our knuckle in the air fryer so we could cook the veggies in the oven – all delicious – yummy-
Awesome. I created this recipe so long ago and it needs a bit of finessing to bring it up to speed but happy to hear you enjoyed it.
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I loved the succulent meat from the pork knuckle and the crispy crackle after baking it and finishing it in the oven. The sauce was an usual one (but tasty), but it had a bitter lemon taste to it. I love lemon in food and will also often squeeze it over my meals. I’m thinking that perhaps the skin gave off the bitter taste? Maybe I will just stir through some lemon juice at the end next time?-
I am not sure what it was Helen. Maybe the lemon was just exceptionally bitter
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I am wanting to make this today but I have a 2kg bone in pork leg, would that work and would I need to adjust the time? Thanks
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I ended up with a nice tasting piece of pork but without the crispy skin I associate with Schweinhaxe.I didn’t bother with gravy as the liquid was too full of fat.
I added caraway as a seasoning (based on memories)
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Caraway would be fabulous with this. I need to try that next time too.
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When you used caraway seeds, did you leave the juniper berries out?
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Hi Trisha, if you use caraway seeds you can omit the juniper berries but to me the juniper berries help make this dish amazing!
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Looks delicious. If the recipe would feed 4 -6 is this something that can can be frozen for another couple of meals if there are only two of you?
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Yes, and you can just get one knuckle.
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