Schweinshaxe
Photo: Takeaway · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Schweinshaxe descends from southern German rural pork-butchery traditions; the knuckle, the working part of the leg, is cured then slow-roasted to render fat and crisp the skin. The Munich beer-hall version, plated with semolina or bread Knödel and braised red cabbage, was codified by the Wirtshaus tradition in the late 19th century and became the canonical Hofbräuhaus order.

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Common allergens: None

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 3 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 4 pork knuckles, about 1kg each, with skin scored in a diamond pattern
  • 2 large onions, halved
  • 4 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 500ml dark beer (Doppelbock or Märzen)
  • 2 tbsp caraway seeds
  • Salt, black pepper
  • 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 160 degrees C. Salt the knuckle skin generously and rub with caraway.
  2. Place the vegetables in a deep roasting tray and lay the knuckles on top, skin up.
  3. Pour the beer into the tray base. Roast for 2 hours covered with foil.
  4. Remove the foil and raise the heat to 220 degrees C. Roast 30 to 45 minutes more, basting with the pan juices, until the skin crackles.
  5. Rest the knuckles 10 minutes. Strain the pan juices, reduce by half, then mount with a knob of butter for the gravy.
  6. Serve with potato dumplings and braised red cabbage; pair with a Mass of Hofbräu Helles or Augustiner.

Tip from the editors. Scoring the skin deeply, almost to the meat, is what makes the crackling shatter properly. Don't skip it.

Where to eat schweinshaxe

Schweinshaxe in Munich

Hofbräuhaus am Platzl ★ 3.8

€€ BavarianAltstadt Lehel

Hofbräuhaus on Platzl has poured Hofbräu beer in Munich's Altstadt since 1589; the ground-floor Schwemme hall seats 1,000, the upstairs Festsaal handles.

OrderMass of Hofbräu Original (one litre) with Schweinshaxe and a pretzel.

TipThe ground-floor Schwemme is walk-in only; reserve the Bräustüberl upstairs for parties of four or more.

Directions Book

Augustiner Klosterwirt ★ 4.0

€€ GermanAltstadt LehelUntil Daily 00:00

Augustiner Klosterwirt under the Frauenkirche towers in Munich's Altstadt runs Bavarian dishes and Augustiner Helles vom Holzfass to midnight.

TrySchweinshaxe and Augustiner Helles

Directions

Andechser am Dom ★ 4.0

€€ BavarianAltstadt Lehel

Andechser am Dom pours the Andechs Monastery's beers a minute from Munich's Frauenkirche; the casual Bavarian room locals send out-of-towners.

OrderSchweinshaxe with potato dumplings and a half-litre of Andechser Doppelbock.

TipDaily 10:00-01:00; the Weinstrasse-side terrace catches sun till evening in summer.

Directions

Paulaner am Nockherberg ★ 4.1

€€ BavarianAu Giesing

Paulaner am Nockherberg above the Isar in Munich's Au is the birthplace of Paulaner beer; this is where the Salvator Doppelbock tapping kicks off Lent.

OrderThe Salvator Doppelbock with Schweinshaxe and a soft pretzel.

TipStarkbierfest runs the last week of February through mid-March; the rest of the year is calmer.

Directions Book

Hofbräukeller ★ 4.2

€€ BavarianHaidhausen

Hofbräukeller on Wiener Platz in Munich Haidhausen is the calmer Hofbräu room; the city's locals come here rather than the Hofbräuhaus tourist hall.

OrderA Mass of Hofbräu Helles with Schweinsbraten and dark gravy.

TipThe beer garden on Wiener Platz is family-friendly; the self-service section lets you bring a picnic.

Directions

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