Berlin-style pork knuckle a beloved traditional dish

DW (English)

For some too fatty, for others tender and juicy. A Berlin-style pork knuckle is guaranteed to fill you up. How is it prepared, and why is it called 'Eisbein'?

Transcript

00:00A Berlin pork knuckle, or Eisbein, makes quite a visual impression.

00:05But in Berlin it's a traditional dish.

00:08So, does everyone like it?

00:13It's too greasy.

00:14I'd rather not eat one.

00:15You have to like it.

00:16I do.

00:17I used to eat it more, but not so much now.

00:20It's too greasy.

00:21You have to eat it.

00:22No one can tell me otherwise.

00:23Either you get a decent one, or one that's bad.

00:26Opinions are as divided as the pork knuckles themselves.

00:29Today, when many people think of Berlin cuisine, they think of currywurst, dünner kebabs,

00:35or meatballs.

00:36But pork knuckles are a Berlin classic.

00:38We'll tell you what to watch out for when cooking them.

00:43Strictly speaking, pure nitrite is pure poison.

00:48And how is Eisbein related to ice skating?

00:52Dicke Wirten in Berlin serves authentic and original Berlin dishes.

00:57The restaurant has been around for nearly 100 years.

01:01Meatballs in white caper sauce, liver and onions, and meatballs with fried eggs are

01:08on the menu.

01:10The cuisine here is hearty, to say the least.

01:12And Chef Andreas Bonig cooks the meanest of the classic Eisbein.

01:20Diners in Berlin have enjoyed eating Eisbein for over 100 years.

01:24I like to eat it, too.

01:26Personally, I even like the fat most of all.

01:31I polish it off.

01:35But what exactly is a pork knuckle?

01:37We came to the Kumpel & Keule butcher shop in a Berlin market hall to find out.

01:44Pork knuckles come from the hind quarter or the forequarter shank.

01:49The hind quarter is a bit meatier than the forequarter, so it costs a little more.

01:53They say the bone in the forequarter looks like the blade of an ice skate.

01:59Back in the day, people would supposedly strap it to their feet and go skating across the

02:03ice on lakes.

02:06First comes the carving and then the curing.

02:09What exactly is the curing?

02:12Curing means we take the meat color you normally have, the appetizing red, and conserve it.

02:18For this, butcher Jörg Fusterer uses nitrate curing salt.

02:23Some allspice, bay leaves, mustard seeds, sugar and onion add flavor to the meat.

02:29It marinates in the brine for two to three days.

02:32Meat can also be cured at home.

02:34As a rule, and this is important, nitrite curing salt shouldn't actually be used for

02:41seasoning because only through the cooking or degradation process does it become edible

02:45and non-toxic.

02:47Strictly speaking, pure nitrite is pure poison.

02:55Safety first.

02:56Now on to the preparation.

02:58How do we make a Berlin Eisbein?

03:03Eisbein is boiled.

03:04Haxe always goes into the oven.

03:07In southern Germany, this cut of meat is traditionally grilled in an oven.

03:11And they don't usually call it Eisbein, but instead Schweinehaxe.

03:16But it's pork knuckle all the same.

03:20The meat is drier.

03:22It may turn out tender too, no question, but it's drier.

03:25While the Eisbein, if it's cooked properly, will just melt in your mouth.

03:30Now it's time for the actual preparation.

03:35Let's start with the good old onion.

03:39We need bay leaves, allspice berries, and very importantly, a little sugar.

03:51We need salt and a bit more curing salt.

03:57The meat simmers with these ingredients in water for about two and a half hours.

04:01That makes it nice and tender.

04:08It's a simple dish.

04:11But many people maintain that a pork knuckle tastes best when it's cooked in a pot with

04:1615, or in this case, with 20 other pork knuckles.

04:19That makes the pork knuckle taste better.

04:25But what's totally inconceivable is pork knuckle without sauerkraut.

04:31Andreas lightly braises onions, bacon, carrots and spices, then adds the sauerkraut, white

04:37wine, apple juice and sugar, and simmers it all together for 30 to 45 minutes.

04:48And then the classic Berlin dish is done.

04:50Eisbein with sauerkraut and potatoes.

04:58The meat is really tasty.

05:01Tender with sauerkraut, potatoes and, if you wish, some peas.

05:05That'll fill me up.

05:09Then bon appetit.

05:11Maybe on your next visit to Berlin, you'll give Eisbein a try.

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