Entree: Poland – Greater Poland – Golonka (Pork knuckle)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 2 hrs 50 min

Additional 8 min

Total 3 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

2 bone-in pork knuckles, approx. 1.5 lb (700 g) each (estimate: Estimated cooked edible meat and skin: 350 g per 700 g gross bone-in knuckle; preserve the original gross quantity.)
8 cups (1.9 L) water
12 fl oz (350 ml) beer (lager or pilsner), optional
1 large onion, quartered (about 250 g)
1 medium carrot, roughly chopped (about 70 g)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp (9 g) whole black peppercorns
6 juniper berries
6 allspice berries
2 tbsp (30 g) coarse salt
1 tbsp (12 g) brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard (for roasting)
3 tbsp (45 g) Polish-style mustard (or Dijon)
2 tbsp (30 g) prepared horseradish
2 cups (480 g) sauerkraut, drained and rinsed lightly
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil (for sauerkraut)
1.5 lb (680 g) potatoes, peeled and cut for mashed potatoes
4 tbsp (60 ml) milk (for mashed potatoes)
2 tbsp (30 g) butter (for mashed potatoes)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Place the pork knuckles in a large pot and add water and beer (if using) to cover. Add onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice, salt, and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 1.5–2 hours.
2. Meanwhile boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, and mash with milk and butter; keep warm.
3. Remove knuckles from the broth and let cool slightly. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking liquid. Pat the skin dry and score it lightly with a knife in a diamond pattern.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Rub the knuckles with vegetable oil and place them on a roasting rack or baking sheet. Roast until the skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 30–40 minutes, turning once and brushing occasionally with a little reserved cooking liquid mixed with mustard for glaze.
5. While roasting, warm the sauerkraut in a skillet with 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking liquid until heated through; adjust seasoning.
6. Transfer knuckles to a board to rest 5–8 minutes. Serve each knuckle with a scoop of mashed potatoes, a generous portion of sauerkraut, a dollop of mustard and horseradish, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.