INGREDIENTS

• pork knuckle 1 piece;
• thyme 10 g.;
• rosemary 2 g.;
• beer 1 liter;
• black peppercorns 6 pieces;
• melted butter 25 g.;
• ground allspice black pepper 6 pieces;
• a pinch of cumin;
• sauerkraut 250 g.;
• half a green apple;
• carnation 1 piece;
• half an orange;
• tomato paste 1 tablespoon;
• bay leaf 1 piece;
• young potatoes 200 g.;
• salt to taste;
• ground black pepper to taste.

METHOD

1. Pork knuckle, or shank, is either front or back - the second is better because it has more meat. It weighs about 1.5 kg. If the remnants of bristles are noticed on it, you should singe it with a burner or just a lighter - this will not affect the taste, but it will look more appetizing.
2. Choose a deep pan with a diameter of about the size of a knuckle, which will be cooked in it. Boil half a liter of water in it, add beer, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, allspice and a pinch of salt. Put the shank in the pan so that it is completely covered with liquid, and cook under a lid over medium heat for about an hour.
3. Melt butter until soft but not dripping. If you are melting the butter from the beginning, let it cool a little and harden. Remove the boiled shank from the pan, put it on a baking sheet covered with parchment, and brush it well with oil using a cooking brush.
4. Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees and send the shank into it for half an hour or an hour. Inside, the meat is, in fact, already cooked, so now the brown crispy crust is in the spotlight. As soon as it seems browned enough for your taste, the meat can be removed from the oven.
5. Chop the sauerkraut into pieces that are easy to eat with a fork. At the same time, do not rush to get rid of the cabbage brine. Heat four teaspoons of vegetable oil, fry cabbage in it for about three minutes, then add cumin, cloves and bay leaf, add 50 ml. brine and simmer covered until soft.
6. After fifteen to twenty minutes, the brine will evaporate, then you should add a spoonful of tomato paste and, stirring, lightly fry the cabbage in it. When it begins to stick slightly to the bottom of the saucepan, pour the juice of half an orange into it and throw in the grated apple. Simmer covered for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orange juice is absorbed into the cabbage.
7. Coarsely chop the potatoes, if the peel is not too rough, it is better not to peel it. Boil in salted water until cooked, and then fry in vegetable oil. In order for the golden crust to cover its entire surface, it is best to learn how to toss the slices in a pan right on the fire.
8. Serve the whole shank on a large platter along with stewed cabbage, slices of fried potatoes and sauces - mustard, horseradish and spicy tomato. By Eastern European standards, all this will amount to one portion - but in fact it is a matter of the eater's complexion.