Beer-Braised Pork Knuckle Baked in the Oven

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you cook a pork knuckle in beer? Gather all your ingredients. Since the skin is meant to be eaten in this dish, choose a knuckle with soft skin — it should pierce easily with a knife. Use good-quality soy sauce and beer so you don't spoil the flavor of the meat. Use naturally fermented soy sauce. Light or dark beer — your call. Choose a juicy lemon.

2. Step 2:

   

   Start by prepping the knuckle. It should be fresh. If you're using a frozen one, thaw it properly: leave it in the fridge for 8–10 hours, then 2–3 hours at room temperature. Thawing in water or the microwave will dry out the meat and ruin the flavor. Wash the knuckle well and soak it in room-temperature water for about 30 minutes.

3. Step 3:

   

   How do you marinate the knuckle in beer? Make the marinade. Take a deep bowl of about 1 quart. Peel and rinse the garlic. Finely chop 2 cloves with a knife or however you like. Set the rest aside — you'll need them later.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add the mustard, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to the garlic. Stir until smooth.

5. Step 5:

   

   Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the marinade, add the beer, and mix everything together.

6. Step 6:

   

   After soaking, wipe the knuckle dry with a towel and gently scrape the top layer off the whole surface with a wide knife, paying special attention to the skin.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour the marinade over the knuckle and let it marinate at room temperature for at least 6 hours. I usually set it up in the evening and leave it overnight. Turn it now and then so the meat soaks up the marinade evenly.

8. Step 8:

   

   Take the remaining garlic and cut each clove lengthwise into 2–3 pieces — this makes it easy to lard the knuckle. Stud the knuckle with the garlic so it's evenly infused with garlic flavor. If you don't have a larding knife, use a knife with a long, sharp blade: pierce the knuckle from the wide cut end, along the bone, and slide the garlic pieces down the blade deep into the meat.

9. Step 9:

   

   Place the knuckle in a roasting bag and set it on a baking sheet. To prevent any mishaps while baking, pierce the bag with a needle in a few spots — this lets the steam that builds up in the first minutes escape without bursting the bag. Put the knuckle in an oven preheated to 300°F (150°C) so the process stays a roast rather than a boil. Bake on a rack just below the middle for 1.5–2 hours.