Schweinshaxe

with Roasted Pork Ribs, Sauerkraut and Potatoes

This feeds 6 to 8 people
Ingredients;

1 Schweinehaxe (Pork Knuckle)
1 rack of Pork Ribs cut into 4 pieces
3 carrots coarsely chopped
1 Onion coarsely chopped
2 cups Celery coarsely chopped
12 Garlic cloves
8 potatoes

2 lbs. Sauerkraut
this is usually 1 large bag or 2 large jars.
1 lb bacon ,
3 small or 2 large apples
1 large onion
1 tblsp Caraway seeds
1 tblsp Juniper berries ( optional)
I quart beef or chicken stock

This is what the raw Schweinhaxe looks like. It is a Pork knuckle, that has often been cured in a brine. This of course would work with a pork roast but you should see if you can get it with the rind on. I scored the skin all the way around in 4 places and poked in garlic cloves
I season the skin with salt and pepper as well. It is easier to cut the skin if you par boil the Schweinshaxe for 30 minutes.

I put this in the oven for 45 minutes on very high heat to crisp the rind.

Then I add the pork rib sections which I have seasoned with a seasoning salt, or salt , pepper and garlic salt.

Add 2 cups of stock, turn down the oven and roast this for 2 to 3 more hours.
Every hour add some more stock. Pour the stock over the skin. This helps to crisp it.

The temperature should be about 210 - 220 degrees to be tender.

Sauerkraut

Now we can work on the sauerkraut.

I always rinse the sauerkraut when I cook it.

If I am eating it raw I don't but when you cook it the sour juice intensifies and gets too strong.

For the sauerkraut we will need

2 lbs. Sauerkraut
this is usually 1 large bag or 2 large jars.

1 lb bacon ,
3 small or 2 large apples
1 large onion

1 tblsp Caraway seeds
1 tblsp Juniper berries ( optional)

I quart beef or chicken stock

Here I am cutting the bacon into strips. It is so much easier to cut it frozen.

Sweat the bacon in a Dutch oven.

While the bacon is frying I chop my onions

My bacon is ready for the onions, I will cook for several minutes till the onions are tender.

While the onions and bacon are cooking I chop the apples

Here I measured out my caraway seeds and Juniper berries.
If you can not find the juniper berries that is ok.

Now I add the kraut and the stock and cook for several hours at a simmer while the Schweinshaxe is roasting. During the last hour I will add the ribs to give extra flavor to the kraut. this is optional.

The last hour I put the potatoes in the roasting pan.

When the Schweinshaxe is done I put the sauerkraut in the roasting pan and serve the whole pan on the table.