Schweinshaxe (german Ham Hock)

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs lamb hocks
• pepper
• salt
• paprika
• 20 g lard
• 1 onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 1/2 tablespoon clove
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 quart water
• 1/8 quart beer
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 200°c/400°f.
• 2 rinse the hocks and pat dry.
• 3 cut the fatty skin diagonally in both directions so that you have a diamond pattern. season with pepper, salt and paprika.
• 4 heat the lard in a dutch oven and brown the hocks for approx 10 mins on all sides (quite hot).
• 5 peel and quarter the onion and add to the pot, add the bay leaf, juniper berries, cloves and mustard grains.
• 6 pour in 1/8 quart of boiling water and place the pot in the middle of the oven.
• 7 the hocks will need approx 1 1/2 - 2hrs, depending on size, baste with beer from time to time and if required add a little water.
• 8 remove the hock from the pot and using beer and water make sure you scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan.
• 9 thicken using a cornstarch/water paste and season with salt and pepper.
• 10 serve with sauerkraut and knoedel or mashed potatoes.