Pork Knuckle in a Slow Cooker
Tender, soft, juicy, and infused with the aroma of herbs and spices! Pork knuckle in a slow cooker is really simple to make, and even a beginner cook will nail it. All you have to do is marinate the meat—the slow cooker takes care of the rest. Long, low-temperature cooking makes the meat incredibly tender. It just melts in your mouth!
Cooking method
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Step 1:
How do you make pork knuckle in a slow cooker? It's easy! Start by gathering all the ingredients on the list. It's best to make the knuckle ahead—at least a day before you plan to serve it. You'll need about 12 hours for marinating and another 12 hours of slow cooking.
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Step 2:
Rinse the pork knuckle and pat it dry. If there's skin on it, scrape it clean with a knife. Mine came already skinless.
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Step 3:
Peel the garlic and cut each clove lengthwise in half. Feel free to use more garlic, or swap the fresh cloves for 2 tablespoons of dried garlic.
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Step 4:
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and mustard. Stir to blend.
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Step 5:
Using a knife, make deep slits all over the knuckle and stuff them with the garlic.
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Step 6:
Rub the knuckle all over with salt and pepper, then sprinkle it with the dried herbs. Keep in mind that you're also using soy sauce (even if just a little), so go easy on the salt to avoid over-salting the meat.
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Step 7:
Brush the pork all over with the soy-mustard sauce.
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Step 8:
Set the knuckle on a large double layer of foil and wrap it tightly, pulling the edges up so the marinade can't leak out. Refrigerate to marinate for 10 to 12 hours.
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Step 9:
Place the foil-wrapped meat into the slow cooker and close the lid.
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Step 10:
Set the cooker to its manual (multi-cook) mode at 175°F (80°C) and cook for 12 to 13 hours.
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Step 11:
Take the finished knuckle out of the cooker. It comes out very soft and juicy, with the meat pulling easily off the bone. Unwrap the foil. If you like, pop the meat into an oven preheated to 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 20 minutes to add a light golden crust.
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Step 12:
Transfer the pork knuckle to a platter and serve with any side dish you like. Enjoy!
- Keep in mind that the cooking time and setting here are approximate. Every slow cooker runs a little differently, and even identical models from the same brand can have their quirks. Before making a new dish in your cooker, read its manual carefully, then get comfortable by cooking familiar dishes first before trying new ones—adjusting the mode and time to suit your own machine.
- Instead of the long slow-cook, you can roast the knuckle in the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours at 350°F (180°C).
- Want to know how to cook properly in foil? For the answer, along with handy tips and tricks for different dishes, see our article on aluminum foil as a kitchen and household helper.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Garlic - 143 kcal/100g
- Ground black pepper - 255 kcal/100g
- Soy sauce - 51 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Pork knuckle - 294 kcal/100g
- Prepared mustard - 418 kcal/100g
- Italian herb blend - 259 kcal/100g
