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'?
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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.