The knuckle is part of the pork carcass, also called the drumstick or knee. The famous boar's knee is nothing but a knuckle. There is not much fat in the knuckle, enough meat, but most of the skins, tendons and ligaments, so it needs a long preliminary processing. Smoked shank is able to add a spicy taste and aroma to rich soups and hearty side dishes.
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You will need
-
- open grill;
- 2 aluminum cake tins;
- meat brush;
- cook twine;
- salt;
- sharp butcher knife;
- chips from fruit trees;
- pineapple juice and honey or maple syrup and Dijon mustard;
- 2.5 kg of pork knee;
- meat thermometer.
Instruction manual
1
Pre-treatment of the shanks Rinse the shanks thoroughly under running water. Harden the hard skin and carefully remove it, being careful not to touch the subcutaneous fat - it is not enough on the shank. Tie your lower legs with twine.
2
If you want to smoke the shank in the skin, then you must also thoroughly rinse it under cold water, but preferably with a stiff brush. Then put the drumsticks in a pot of cold water and bring it to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Drain and rinse the knuckle under cold water.
3
Prepare the brine - for 3 liters of water you will need 1 cup of table salt. Mix the brine in a large saucepan, put the shanks in there and let it pour out in a cool place. Make sure that the brine completely covers the meat. After 5-6 hours, replace the brine with a fresh one. After another 6 hours, the shanks will be ready. The preliminary ambassador will allow the meat not to spoil longer and make it softer. Remove the shanks from the brine, rinse, dry with a paper towel and leave for 10-15 minutes for final drying.
4
Grill preparation Soak chips in cold water for at least 1 hour. Put it in an aluminum cake pan, cover it with a second pan, fix the edges and make holes in the upper container for smoke. Heat the grill to 110 ° C. Place the forms with wood chips on the coals.
5
Smoked Mix 1 part pineapple juice and 3 parts honey or 1 part Dijon mustard and 3 parts maple syrup in a separate bowl. Coat the shanks with icing and place on the smoking grate. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the drumstick.
6
Turn the shanks over every 30 minutes and apply a new portion of the glaze. Smoke ham until the meat temperature reaches 75-80 ° C. The higher the temperature - the more tender the knuckle will turn out, but do not get carried away - at a temperature of 80 ° C, meat may begin to exfoliate from the bones.
note
On average, the process of smoking pork shank takes 5-8 hours.
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