German Pork Hock (Schweinshaxe Recipe) (2024)

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German Pork Hock, also known as roasted ham hock or Schweinshaxe, is a traditional Bavarian dish that’s popular notonly during the Oktoberfest but all year round. This easy pork knuckle recipe takes a few hours butcooks without too much effort on your part and rewards you with delicious pork crackling and tender meat. Hands down one of my favorite German recipes!

This roasted pork hock has been a favorite of my husband for a while now. When I think of a German Schweinshaxe this is exactly how I want it to be: super crispy pork rind and tender, flavorful meat. If you’ve ever been to Munich you know what I’m talking about!

You can make Schweinshaxen two different ways: roast it or put it in water and then roast it. My preferredway, because it always makes perfect roasted pork knuckles at home, is to let the knuckle simmer in water first and then roast it in the oven to perfection. This cooking method ensures that you have a crispy skin, tender meat, and great flavor.

What is a pork hock?

A pork hock is also known as ham hock, pig knuckle, or pork knuckle. It’s the joint at the bottom of the shank of the pig between the tibia/fibula and the ankle where the foot was attached to the hog’s leg but it’s not part of theham.The pork knuckle contains a lot of connective tissue which when it melts add great flavor and texture to the meat. It’s a relatively cheap cut of meat.

To make authentic German Schweinshaxen (Schwein = pig, Haxe= hock) you need a fresh, uncured, unsmoked pork knuckle. Schweinshaxen areusually made from the rear legs because they have a thicker layer of fat, but pork hocks from the front legs can also be used. One knuckle serves about two adults depending on the size. (photo 1)

How to cook ham hocks – Step by Step

Bring water in a big pot to a boil, add salt, onions, peppercorns, bay leaves, and juniper berries. Then submerge the pork hock in the water and let simmer at a low temperature for 90 minutes. (photo 2)

After 90 minutes use tongs to remove the pork knuckle from the water and use a sharp knife to incise the skin in a diamond pattern. This allows the skin to crisp up better and makes it easier to eat it after roasting. (photo 3 and 4)

How long to cook ham hocks in the oven

Rub the pork knuckle with caraway seeds and salt while preheating the oven to 390°F (200°C). Place the hock on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for 90 minutes. (photo 5)

How to make pork knuckle skin crispy

To crisp up the skin turn on the broiler for the last 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it because it can get burned pretty quickly. The skin will crackle and get super crispy. (photo 6)

What to serve with Schweinshaxe

Traditionally Schweinshaxen (Roasted German Pork Knuckles) are served with potato salad (Try my recipe for Authentic German Potato Salad), potato dumplings, or mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. Sometimes they are also served with a gravy or red cabbage.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, you can double this recipe if you have a large enough pot or use two pots. The pork knuckles should be submerged in the water.

Is a pork hock the same as a ham hock?

A pork hock and a ham hock are the same. They can come from the rear or the front legs of a pig. Sometimes the hock that comes from the rear legs is referred to as a ham hock but you treat them the same.

Can I give my dog a pork hock?

No, you can’t give the bone from the pork hock to your dog because they easily splinter and are even softer after cooking.

Other German Recipes you might like to try:

German Cucumber Salad Recipe
Bavarian Beer Cheese Spread (Obatzda)
German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
Easy German Spaetzle Recipe
Bavarian Pretzels

Tools used to make this recipe:

Roasting Pan with Rack:You want to use a roasting with a rack so that the ham hock gets crispy on all sides. The pan catches the dripping and makes clean up easier.
Caraway Seeds:You need whole caraway seeds for this recipe.
Chef’s Knife: To cut the skin into a diamond pattern it’s best to use a sharp knife. The skin is much easier to cut after it has been submerged in water for 90 minutes but you make it easier for you if you use a good knife.

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4.94 from 46 votes

German Pork Hock (Schweinshaxe Recipe)

By: Julia Foerster

German Pork Hock, also known as roasted ham hock or Schweinshaxe, is a traditional Bavarian dish that's popular notonly during the Oktoberfest but all year round. This easy pork knuckle recipe takes a few hours butcooks without too much effort on your part and rewards you with crispy pork crackling and tender meat.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

▢ 2 pork knuckles, fresh, uncured, unsmoked
▢ 1 tsp black peppercorns
▢ 4 bay leaves
▢ 4 juniper berries
▢ 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
▢ 1 tbsp caraway seeds
▢ salt

Instructions

Bring water in a big pot to a boil, add 2 tsp salt, quartered onions, peppercorns, bay leaves, and juniper berries. Turn down the temperature so that the water is still hot but not simmering and submerge the pork hocks. They should be covered with water. Let them cook at a low temperature for 90 minutes. The water should not boil or simmer.
After 90 minutes use tongs to remove the pork knuckles from the water and use a sharp knife to incise the skin in a diamond pattern.
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C) and rub the pork knuckles with caraway seeds and salt. Place the hocks on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for about 90 minutes in the middle of the oven. Turn the pork hocks after 45 minutes.
To crisp up the skin turn on the broiler for the last 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them because the skin can get burned pretty quickly. It will crackle and get super crispy.
Serve immediately!

Nutrition

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Categorized as:
German Recipes, Main Dishes

About Julia Foerster

Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch, with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions.

FAQs

What cut of meat is Schweinshaxe? ›

Schweinshaxe (German pronunciation: [ˈʃvaɪns. haksə]), in German cuisine, is a roasted ham hock (or pork knuckle). The ham hock is the end of the pig's leg, just above the ankle and below the meaty ham portion.

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What's the best way to cook pork shank? ›

Pour the wine and vegetables over the pork. Add the stock, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme; season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Tuck the pork shanks into the liquid so that they're mostly submerged. Cover and cook over moderately low heat for 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Is pork knuckle the same as a ham hock? ›

Pork knuckle is variously known as pig knuckle, pork shanks, pork hock and ham hock (though this also refers to smoked or cured hocks). For German Pork Knuckle, we specifically need the rear leg knuckles / hocks because they are much bigger and meatier.

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Is pork hock healthy? ›

The nutritional benefits of ham hock

Ham hock is high in protein, but also brings with it a share of fat, saturated fat, so should therefore be eaten in moderation. In terms of minerals, ham hock also contains sodium and potassium.

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Is bacon hock the same as pork hock? ›

But unlike bacon, ham hocks have less rendered fat and more collagen, a direct result of having a bone. Because ham hocks and bacon can be used almost interchangeably when it involves soups, stews, braised vegetables, or casseroles, ham hocks tend to get overlooked.

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Is pork knuckle healthy? ›

Pork knuckle is a recommended dish if you suffer from anemia, osteoporosis or constipation. In addition, it is a source of vitamins and minerals, and contains iron, potassium, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and vitamins B3, B7, B9 and K.

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What is the difference between pork shank and pork hock? ›

Ham hocks tend to be bonier and have less meat on them because they come from the area of the leg that is closest to the foot of the pig. Ham shanks, on the other hand, are meatier because they come from the area just below the shoulder or the hip.

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How do you know when pork shanks are cooked? ›

The safe internal pork cooking temperature for fresh cuts is 145° F. To check doneness properly, use a digital cooking thermometer. Fresh cut muscle meats such as pork chops, pork roasts, pork loin, and tenderloin should measure 145° F, ensuring the maximum amount of flavor.

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Can you eat the meat in a pork hock? ›

If you have very meaty hocks, you could just roast them, eat the meat (or use it in an omelet or another dish), and then throw just the bones into a soup.

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Are pork hocks already cooked? ›

meat in a ham hock that is very tasty, but there is also a lot of high quality fat, collagen and cartilage that melt away and add lip-smacking savoriness to your dish. Ham hocks are usually sold pre-cooked, and often smoked. If you get a smoked hock you may want to soak it overnight to get rid of some of the saltiness.

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Do you remove skin from pork hock? ›

The meat can then be picked off the bones and removed from the skin, but the skin is delicious too, if cooked long enough. Cooking with a ham hock requires minimal effort (just toss it in and wait!), but there are ways to get the most out of each one. Smoked hocks should be rinsed before use to remove excess salt.

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What is Schweinshaxe in English? ›

pork knuckle. 20 examples from the Internet.

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What meat is like ham hocks? ›

If you can't find ham hocks, you can usually successfully substitute a ham bone, smoked bacon, or smoked sausage. And if you are going pork-free, try smoked turkey sausage or turkey bacon. For vegetarian dishes, smoked paprika and an extra sprinkle of salt can capture some of the qualities of ham hock.

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Which part of the pig is ham hocks? ›

The ham hock is the part of the pig where the foot attaches to the leg, at the very bottom of the leg bone, on both the back and front legs. This is what a ham hock looks like!

What cut of meat is pork knuckle? ›

Pork Knuckle typically refers to a Pork Hock that has not been cured or smoked. The definition can, however, overlap in some instances whereby Pork Knuckle is thought to be another name for Hock, whether smoked or not.

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