Knuckle is, of course, far from a refined product. Healthy bone and muscle. This is the part that is located almost above the hoof. So, you understand, there is no question of tenderness here. In addition, this is not cheap meat at all. Although the shank will cost much less per kilogram than other types of meat, the yield of the actual edible part will be so small that the product will be expensive in terms of it. Nevertheless, despite many formal flaws, a skillfully chosen and well-cooked shank turns out delicious.
-30 %
Meat cleaver Bodum Chef 18cm, matte chrome color
3 949i 5 609i
Are available
The knuckle can be rear or front. The back is better, the front is worse. There is more on the first fleshy part, less on the second. They look similar, but in stores not a single seller indicates which is which. You can get your bearings like this: the back handlebar should weigh at least one and a half kilograms, the front handlebar should weigh about a kilogram. By the way, it is the front shanks that are usually sold in sealed food-grade plastic bags, the kind that you put in the oven and bake right in the package. Often the knuckle is sold directly with the skin. This option is not very good: you won’t eat the skin, but you’ll pay for the weight. So, it would be better to find a peeled knuckle. The remaining parameters of choice are the same as for any other meat: elasticity, smell.
Thermal glass Walmer Beer with double walls, 0.48 l, color transparent 1 199i
Are available
Czechs and Germans are great experts in preparing shanks. Here the knuckle is stewed in beer.
What is beef shank?
Beef shank is the lower part of the leg. The meat on it is quite sinewy, but, unlike pork knuckle, it is not so fatty. And when cooked correctly, beef shank turns into a very tasty delicacy.
Interesting materials:
Why don't I receive messages from Sberbank? Why can’t I see deposits and accounts in Sberbank online? Why doesn't any bank give loans? Why was the payment rejected by Sberbank? Why did the power bank stop charging? Why did the garlic in a jar of tomatoes turn green? Why is the loan amount at Sberbank online growing? Why does Sberbank require confirmation of payment? Why does Sberbank charge a commission for paying for kindergarten? Why did they start taking commissions at Sberbank?
Back or front leg
From one pig carcass you get four shanks: 2 rear and 2 front. The largest amount of meat is located on the hind legs. They look more appetizing and massive.
Therefore, the best option for a hearty lunch is the hind knuckle, which turns out juicy, with a golden brown crust and a lot of pulp.
As a side dish, you can serve grilled vegetables, fresh or as a salad.
When choosing a product, you should also pay attention to the volume of lard. Fatty options are not suitable as there is little meat. In addition, the dish will have a rich taste of fried lard.
Marinade for every taste
Baked pork knuckle (“boar’s knee”) has been prepared in Europe since the 11th century, since the favorite pastime of the nobility was hunting, after which feasts with game dishes were held. Nowadays, pork knuckle is especially popular in countries with a developed beer culture, but in Germany it is loved most of all - it is no coincidence that this snack has become a symbol of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich.
The shank can be baked in the oven in foil or in a sleeve, cooked in a slow cooker or on the grill, or made into jellied meat or meatloaf. But to do this, you will have to master some tricks so that the dish will definitely turn out.
First, of course, the meat needs to be washed and scraped to get rid of the bristles (if any), and then make several cuts with a knife in the fleshy part and marinate the pork.
This can be done in different ways - either rub the shank with spices, pressing some of the seasonings into the cuts on the skin, or grease with lemon juice mixed with soy sauce and garlic. Marinade options depend on the specific pork knuckle recipe. This could be pomegranate or tomato juice, ginger sauce or olive oil. Provençal herbs, rosemary, juniper, bay leaves, garlic, cumin, red and black pepper are very good. Some housewives soak the meat for several hours in cold milk to make the shank tender.
After this, the pork leg can be baked, although many cooks first boil it for an hour in broth with roots and vegetables, or in beer, as in Munich. However, if desired, beer can be successfully replaced with kvass.
Pre-cooking is needed in order to reduce the baking time, since the boiled pork knuckle is in the oven for 20-25 minutes, not 1-2.5 hours. If you use a multicooker, set it to the “Stew” mode, and then to the “Frying” mode.
Before baking, the shank is often coated with mustard-honey sauce for a piquant taste and a beautiful golden crust. On a baking sheet under and next to the meat, you can place large onion rings, which, after caramelization, will release their juice to the baked meat.
Pig carcass parts
Pork is softer than beef and does not require hanging aging. Pork also contains more fat than beef, but less water and protein. Pork fat is digestible and melts easier than beef fat. Lean pork is produced under the abbreviation PSE (pale - pale, soft - soft, exsudative - moist). Pork lard should be light, fairly dense, with a slightly grainy structure.
Cooking process
Where do we start? Take the pork knuckle and rinse it in hot water. Using a knife, remove all dirt from the skin.
It is not always possible to place the whole shank in the pan. Therefore, you can cut it into 2-3 parts. Place them in a saucepan. Sprinkle with salt. Add laurel.
Wash the green onion stems in running water. Then chop it with a knife. Pour the onion pieces into the pan containing the shank parts. Pour in hot water in the volume indicated above. Sprinkle with dried herbs. You can use a ready-made mixture or take a little dill, celery and parsley.
Place the pan with the contents on the stove. Turn on the fire to maximum. We are waiting for the boiling process to begin. Be sure to remove the foam. And reduce the heat to medium. In this mode, the shank will cook for a couple of hours. As the broth boils, we must add hot water.
Remove the boiled meat parts from the pan using a slotted spoon. Transfer them to another container and let them cool slightly. As for the broth, we won’t need it today. You can put it in the refrigerator.
So, the central place on the table should be taken by the pork knuckle prepared according to this recipe. Boiled in herbs, it turned out very juicy and aromatic. Meat pieces on the bone are served with bread, herbs, pickled or fresh vegetables. For drinks, a glass of beer or a shot of white wine is best.
Step-by-step algorithm
In industrial conditions, bleeding and cutting are carried out by weight.
As mentioned above, on an industrial scale to butcher a pig, the carcass is suspended and bled by opening the carotid artery and vein. Separation also occurs by weight.
But at home, such a process is quite difficult to ensure, so most often everything is done on the ground, which is first covered with hay, straw or PVC film.
It is also worth making sure that you have a sharp knife, an ax and utensils for collecting blood and entrails. When cutting up a house for oneself, they often also hang the head and organs for the final drainage of blood. This is done using steel wire hooks, but rope will also work.
So, what is the fastest way to cut up a pork carcass?
- After bleeding, the head is separated from the carcass. To do this, the neck is cut with a sharp knife and the spine is severed. The head is suspended on a bar for final blood drainage. In winter, you can simply lay it cut side down on clean snow.
- The next stage is opening the peritoneum and removing the intestines. There are two possible options here. The first is if you plan to separate the fat from the peritoneum (peritoneum). To do this, two incisions are made on the sides of the sternum, and the layer of fat is removed using a knife. The second is to simply cut the belly.
When doing this, care must be taken not to open the intestines.
- Having placed a large container under the back of the carcass, the entrails are dumped into it, from which the liver is carefully separated. In this process, you need to be careful not to rupture the intestines or gallbladder.
- The next step is to remove the belly fat, which is most often used to make lard. The kidneys located in the upper back are also removed.
- After removal, the internal cavity is wiped with dry rags if necessary. But under no circumstances should you wash it, otherwise the meat will be stored less than it should be.
- Now you can separate the front and rear legs from the carcass. To do this, circular cuts are made around the legs, and the fat is cut off. It is advisable to have someone hold the leg in an upright position. You need to lay a bedding under the layer of separated fat.
- The back part is cut off with an ax across the spine. Between the hind legs, the bones of the vertebrae are chopped lengthwise, and they are finally cut off from the carcass.
- The front shoulder blades, along with the legs, are also separated with a knife.
At home, each owner cuts the carcass in his own way, although there is still some general algorithm.
The pork leg is separated from the ham later, after cutting the carcass, but this is often done during the process, by making a circular cut into the muscles and tendons at the knee joint. The main thing is to make the cut exactly where the two bones connect, otherwise the leg will not separate from the rest.
- Now the neck flesh along with the vertebrae is cut off from the remaining carcass.
- The remaining rib part (box) is cut along the vertebra into two halves. You can also separate the ribs at the base of the spine on both sides, thus obtaining two parts of the ribs and a vertebra.
- Tenderloin, or cutlet meat, is located in the upper back along the left and right vertebrae. It can be cut off later, during the deboning process.
- As a result, only a layer of lard remains on the cutting surface, which is cut into several pieces and prepared for salting.
This is the simplest and most common carcass cutting scheme, although the sequence and some actions may differ.
For further deboning (separating meat from bones), it is necessary for the cut parts of the carcass to cool down by lying in a cool place for a couple of hours. This also applies to lard if it is planned to be salted. Only after aging do they begin further processing of the pork.
Useful advice
If you can't remember exactly all the names of the parts of a pork carcass, don't worry. The main thing is to understand the following: the muscles of the upper half of the pig’s body “work” less, so the dishes turn out to be more tender.
So for chops, schnitzels, rolls, carbonates, take the “top”.
And the “bottom” of the pig is more rigid, so for dishes that require long cooking (soup, roast), anything below the back is suitable. By the way, in addition to the shank and shank, ears and tail are perfect for jellied meat - they also contain a lot of gluten.
How to properly cut a pig carcass + diagrams of body parts
Pigs are bred for meat. Therefore, you need to be able to cut up pork carcasses. If you are a beginning farmer, then you do not have the skills to do this kind of work. You can’t learn this remotely; you need experience. It can only be obtained by helping the master, participating in this process from beginning to end.
But theoretical preparation is also important. You cannot become a doctor without reading textbooks, but only by being present at operations. Therefore, in order not to look at the process “like a ram at a new gate,” read this article.
Meat tenderness
Korean _ This is the name of the back part - the most delicate category of carcass. This juicy meat with a thin frame of fat comes in two varieties: with bones (backbone and ribs) and without bones (carb). Fat gives juiciness, and density gives taste and calorie content. Buy a loin for excellent cutlets on the bone. Carbonade is good for stews, boiled pork, and pilaf too.
Excessive consumption of pork loin dishes can cause problems with blood vessels and the heart.
Tenderloin. This is the most delicate, but also the most expensive part. Located above the middle of the ridge under the fat. This low-calorie delicacy is considered dietary and rich in vitamins. It will appeal to health-conscious pork lovers. It is good to cut the lean pieces into schnitzels or escalopes, and bake them whole in a sleeve or baking bag. In the article “About lean pork” you will find additional information. The tenderloin will also please kebab lovers.
Useful properties of the dish
In addition to its pleasant, memorable taste, baked pork shank is beneficial for the human body. This is one of the reasons for the popularity of the dish in many countries.
The product contains a lot of calories, but it is easily absorbed by the body. The shank contains many useful substances - collagen, amino acids, B vitamins, PP. The leg is rich in minerals such as: potassium, calcium, holm, molybdenum, sulfur, copper, fluorine, chromium, iron, nickel, etc.
Having cooked it once, you will want to repeat this process again to look at the happy faces of your household and enjoy the great taste of the dish.
Pig age
Boar carcasses have a specific smell that no seasoning can hide. After frying, baking or other types of cooking, the unpleasant aroma will only intensify.
At the market, you can ask the seller to check whether the product belongs to a particular gender.
To do this, you need to heat a sharp object, such as a knife or scissors, over a lighter and pierce a piece of meat with it. If a strong smell appears, then you should refrain from purchasing, since the shank belongs to a boar.
The age of the animal also plays an important role. The meat of a young individual is light in color and has a fairly thin skin.
At the same time, the knuckle will not be too large, because the animal has not yet reached its impressive size. At the same time, the density of the young carcass is low, and the structure is quite soft.
The leg of an old individual will be stiff and have a dry appearance. It is not recommended to cook this shank as it will be dry and have an unpleasant taste.
a brief description of
What do you need to know about pork knuckle, how can it be useful, how to choose and cook it correctly? You can learn about this and more from our article.
What part of the carcass is this?
The knuckle is the part that attaches to the pig's knee. It is located between the thigh or shoulder blade (depending on whether it is the back or front tibia) and the knee joint. According to the world standard for cutting meat, knuckle belongs to the fourth (last grade).
What does it look like?
The knuckle is different from other parts of pork. Its meat is a little darker, and its taste is more intense. Externally, you can recognize the product by its wide top (this is the place where the shank was attached to the knee joint) and a thin leg that ended in a hoof. A massive bone, round in shape, usually sticks out.
How much does it weigh?
The weight of a pork knuckle depends on which animal was slaughtered. Of course, if it was a small pig, then its shank could weigh only 700 grams. The larger the animal, the greater the weight. © https://ydoo.info/product/svinaya-rulka.htmlFor example, there are shanks weighing from 1 to 1.5 kilograms. To prepare one dish for the whole family, a piece will be enough, which will weigh no more than 1.2 kilograms.
Worth knowing! The front knuckle usually weighs 300-500 grams less than the back knuckle.
Which steering wheel is better: front or rear?
In cooking, there are two types of pork knuckles:
Which one is better? Here you should focus on the dish that will be prepared. If it is baking, stewing or frying, then it is better to choose the back part, as it contains more meat. But for jellied meat, the front one is more suitable.
You can distinguish the rear knuckle from the front one by the knee joint: at the back it is strongly protruded forward.
In foil - hot, hot
Try cooking pork knuckle in the oven in foil with lemon and garlic - this dish is accessible even to novice cooks. It does not belong to any national cuisine and may well be considered international. Pork according to this recipe always turns out soft and juicy, since the foil retains heat well. However, you will also need soy sauce and a little black pepper.
Ingredients:
- knuckle - 1 pc.
- lemon - 1 pc.
- soy sauce - 150 ml
- black pepper - 1 tsp.
- garlic - 1 pc.
- salt - to taste
The beginning of working with the knuckle is traditional: scrape, rinse, dry. Next, make incisions in especially fleshy places and prepare a marinade from squeezed lemon juice, soy sauce and black pepper. Crush the garlic to a puree and add to the marinade, and you don’t have to add salt or add just a little salt, since soy sauce itself is quite salty.
Place the pork leg in a food-safe bag, cover with the marinade, seal well and refrigerate overnight to marinate the meat. Next, wrap the shank in foil, place it in a baking dish and place it in the oven for an hour at 200°C. Reduce heat to 170 °C degrees and keep the meat in the oven for another hour.
Unfold the foil, pour the remaining marinade over the meat and cook for 15 minutes, then turn the leg over, pour the marinade over again and leave in the oven for another 10 minutes. The shank will brown, become juicy, tender and amazingly tasty!
Meat color
When choosing a product, you should always pay attention to its color. The leg of a young carcass has a pleasant pink tint. If the meat is too bright, then there is a high probability that it was treated with chemical solutions, such as potassium permanganate. This is done in order to give the stale piece an attractive appearance or eliminate an unpleasant odor.
The color should be uniform. A surface without weathered parts is a sign of freshness. This product is easy to prepare and soaks well in the marinade.
When choosing a shank, you should also pay attention to the date of manufacture if it is sold in a store, and in the market the leg should be carefully examined and smelled.
