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Foil-wrapped knuckle baked in the oven

Foil-Wrapped Pork Knuckle Baked in the Oven

Roasted pork knuckle in a simple, aromatic marinade. Baked in the oven, it comes out incredibly tender and juicy thanks to the punchy marinade. This is a dish that dresses up any table — right at home for a holiday spread or an everyday family dinner.

Natalia Tsybulskaya

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork knuckle

700

Bay leaf

Soy sauce

100

Prepared mustard

Garlic

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 35 % 17 g

Fats 46 % 22 g

Carbohydrates 19 % 9 g

266 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather all your ingredients. Go for a smaller knuckle, around 2 pounds (about 1 kg) — anything much bigger will take a very long time to roast through. Pay special attention to your soy sauce. There are a lot of cheap versions on the shelves these days, and I wouldn't bother with them. Use a naturally brewed soy sauce. Any mustard you like will work here, and if you're out of fresh garlic you can swap in garlic powder.
Step 2:

Whisk the mustard into the soy sauce until smooth, with no lumps. Your marinade is ready.
Step 3:

Rinse the knuckle and pat it dry. With a sharp knife, score several deep cuts through the skin. This keeps the skin from shrinking and pulling tight as it roasts.
Step 4:

Peel the garlic and slice it into thin slivers.
Step 5:

Tuck the garlic slivers into the cuts you made.
Step 6:

I don't recommend salting the knuckle — the soy sauce is plenty salty on its own. Brush the marinade generously over the knuckle on all sides. You can do this in a separate dish or right in a heat-proof baking dish lined with a large sheet of foil. Let it marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 7:

Lay the bay leaves on top. Feel free to add your own favorite seasonings and spices, along with a few whole peppercorns or a slice of lemon.
Step 8:

Wrap the foil up tightly around the knuckle. Poke a few holes in it with a toothpick so steam can escape.
Step 9:

Preheat the oven ahead of time to 350°F (180°C). Roast a 2-pound (1 kg) knuckle for about 1½ hours; a larger one will need more time. For a golden, crisp crust, open up the foil about 20 minutes before the end of roasting. Serve right away, while the knuckle is hot. Enjoy!

This knuckle works just as well in a regular oven or out on the grill. The meat pulls away from the bone easily since it turns out so tender. Serve it hot with fresh vegetables, herbs, or a vegetable salad. A good meat sauce on the side wouldn't go amiss either!
Keep in mind that every oven is different. Your temperature and timing may vary from what's listed in the recipe. For any baked dish to come out right, it helps to know the quirks of your own oven.
For more on getting the most out of foil in the kitchen, there's a lot of useful info, tips, and tricks out there on cooking with aluminum foil.
And if you need to thaw frozen meat first, look into the proper way to defrost.