Waedele

Ingredients

• 2 (approx. 800 g–1 kg each) pork knuckles (jarret de porc), free-range, rind on, rind scored in 1 cm crosshatch through fat, not into meat
• 2 tbsp lard or goose fat
• For the mirepoix
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• For the braise
• 375 ml dry Riesling, half a standard bottle
• 6 juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves, whole
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 500 ml pork or chicken stock, or water; enough to come two-thirds up the knuckles
• To serve
• as needed sauerkraut or potato salad, prepared separately
• as needed Dijon mustard and sweet Alsatian mustard, served alongside

Method

1. 1
   Optional but recommended: dissolve enough salt in cold water to make a 5% brine (50 g salt per 1 litre water). Submerge the knuckles fully and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove, rinse, and pat thoroughly dry before proceeding. The rind should feel dry to the touch — moisture at this stage would inhibit browning.
2. 2
   Score the rind of each knuckle in a crosshatch pattern at 1 cm intervals, cutting cleanly through the rind and fat but stopping short of the meat below. Run a finger across the cuts: each incision should gap open slightly, forming a distinct grid across the whole surface.
3. 3
   Preheat the oven to 150°C. Heat the lard or goose fat in a heavy casserole over a medium-high flame. Add the knuckles and brown on all sides, turning patiently over 15–20 minutes, until the rind is deeply coloured — mahogany, not grey — and the kitchen carries a full, caramelised meat smell. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient colour here cannot be recovered in the braise.
4. 4
   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the casserole around the knuckles and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and take on colour at the edges.
5. 5
   Pour in the Riesling and scrape up any sediment from the base of the pot. Add the juniper berries, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Pour in enough stock or water to bring the liquid two-thirds of the way up the knuckles — they must not be submerged. The liquid should be just audibly simmering at the edges before the lid goes on.
6. 6
   Cover the casserole, transfer to the oven, and braise at 150°C for 3 to 3.5 hours, turning the knuckles every 45 minutes. The dish is ready when the meat has visibly retreated from the bone ends and yields without resistance when pressed — it should be on the verge of falling away entirely.
7. 7
   Lift the knuckles carefully from the braising liquid and place them on a rack set over a roasting tray. Pass them under a very hot grill for 5–10 minutes, watching closely, until the scored rind blisters and crisps into a patchwork of golden, crunchy squares. The rind should crackle audibly when tapped with a spoon.
8. 8
   Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables lightly to extract their juices. Discard the solids. Reduce the liquid over a moderate heat until it coats a spoon and carries a concentrated, aromatic savour. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve as a natural jus alongside the knuckles.