I have made this recipe for pork shanks in the oven with dark beer a few times. I always enjoyed finding fresh shanks because it seems to me one of the simplest ways to get tender meat without complications. I have also tried cooking them with various side dishes, but the combination with potatoes, apples, and onions works without any hassle. It’s the kind of dish that you put in the oven and come back to it just to baste it from time to time.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours and 15 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 2 hours (plus an additional 5 minutes on high heat)
Servings: 3-4, depending on the size of the shanks
Difficulty: low
Recipe type: main, suitable for a hearty lunch or dinner
Ingredients
2 pork shanks (fresh hock, not smoked)
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon oregano
black pepper
2 large onions
2 apples
4 potatoes
1 can of dark beer (approx. 500 ml)
Preparation method
1. Singe the shanks (bring the meat to flame to burn off any hairs and slightly harden the skin), then wash them well under cold water. This step is important because otherwise, you won't achieve a pleasant crust, and the final dish may have unpleasant marks.
2. Crush the garlic and mix it with oregano and black pepper. Rub this paste all over the surface of the shanks as evenly as possible.
3. Peel the onions and cut them into fairly thick slices. Place the onion slices in a sufficiently large tray to form a bed for the meat.
4. Place the shanks on top of the onions. Put them in the preheated oven at high temperature and leave them for about 5 minutes. In this time, the meat starts to color on the surface.
5. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and apples and cut them into thicker slices. There’s no need to slice them very thin, it’s important that they have volume so they don’t turn into puree after 2 hours of baking.
6. Remove the tray from the oven after 5 minutes and place the slices of potatoes and apples next to the meat, not on top.
7. Pour the dark beer over the meat and vegetables. There’s no need to cover completely, just enough liquid at the bottom of the tray.
8. Put the tray back in the oven at a moderate heat (medium temperature), and let everything bake for about 2 hours. From time to time (every 20-30 minutes), baste the meat with the juices that form in the tray, using a spoon or a small ladle. There’s no need to turn the meat.
9. In the end, the meat should be tender, easily pulling away from the bone, and the potatoes should be well cooked. If you want, you can leave the tray for a few more minutes at a higher temperature if you want a more pronounced crust.
Why I make the recipe often
I like that it doesn’t require complicated ingredients or steps. The shanks become tender without boiling them beforehand, and the potatoes and apples provide the right flavor, especially in combination with the dark beer. It’s the kind of recipe where you don’t have to stand by the oven all the time, just baste it from time to time. It’s also suitable for meals with more guests or when you want to cook something hearty without much effort.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. You can use a stainless steel, ceramic, or enamel tray, but make sure it’s deep enough so that the liquid doesn’t overflow when you pour in the beer.
2. Don’t skip the step with the onions under the meat, it helps a lot with flavor and moisture retention.
3. It’s easier to cut the apples and potatoes only after you put the meat in the oven while it’s browning for 5 minutes.
4. If you want more sauce at the end, you can add a little warm water to the tray halfway through the baking time.
Substitutions
- The shanks can be replaced with fresh hock (not smoked).
- If you don’t have dark beer, you can use blonde beer, but the final taste will be less intense.
- Oregano can be replaced with thyme or a little rosemary, but not all at once.
Variations
- You can add other root vegetables, such as carrots or parsnips, if you want more vegetables in the tray.
- For a different flavor, you can put 2-3 whole garlic cloves, uncrushed, among the potatoes.
Serving ideas
- It goes well served with a simple salad (cabbage or pickles).
- The sauce from the tray can be strained or used as is, poured over the meat.
- Leftovers can be sliced and put in sandwiches with homemade bread.
Frequently asked questions
1. Do I need to boil the shanks beforehand?
No, in this recipe, they are not boiled beforehand. They are cooked completely in the oven, in beer and steam from the tray.
2. Can I cook with smoked hock?
The recipe is designed for fresh meat. With smoked hock, the taste will be different and quite salty, so I do not recommend it.
3. What type of dark beer is suitable?
Any classic dark beer from the store will work. It doesn’t have to be a special one. A 500 ml bottle is sufficient.
4. How do I know when the meat is done?
The meat should be tender, easily pulling away from the bone, and the potatoes should be soft when pierced with a fork.
5. Can I use a heat-resistant glass tray?
Yes, that works too, just make sure it’s not too thin, so it doesn’t break when pouring in the hot liquid.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for an average serving (1/4 of the recipe):
Calories: 550-600 kcal
Proteins: 30-35 g
Fats: 35-40 g
Carbohydrates: 20-25 g
The values depend greatly on how fatty the meat is and the amount of sauce absorbed by the potatoes and apples. The beer adds some carbohydrates, but some evaporate during baking. It’s a hearty dish, with enough protein and fat, suitable for main meals.
Storage and reheating
The meat keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days, stored in the tray or in a lidded container. It can be reheated in the oven at medium temperature, covered with foil so it doesn’t dry out. The potatoes and apples change texture after cooling, but can be consumed without problems. I do not recommend freezing, as both the meat and vegetables become quite dry upon thawing.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours and 15 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 2 hours (plus an additional 5 minutes on high heat)
Servings: 3-4, depending on the size of the shanks
Difficulty: low
Recipe type: main, suitable for a hearty lunch or dinner
Ingredients
2 pork shanks (fresh hock, not smoked)
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon oregano
black pepper
2 large onions
2 apples
4 potatoes
1 can of dark beer (approx. 500 ml)
Preparation method
1. Singe the shanks (bring the meat to flame to burn off any hairs and slightly harden the skin), then wash them well under cold water. This step is important because otherwise, you won't achieve a pleasant crust, and the final dish may have unpleasant marks.
2. Crush the garlic and mix it with oregano and black pepper. Rub this paste all over the surface of the shanks as evenly as possible.
3. Peel the onions and cut them into fairly thick slices. Place the onion slices in a sufficiently large tray to form a bed for the meat.
4. Place the shanks on top of the onions. Put them in the preheated oven at high temperature and leave them for about 5 minutes. In this time, the meat starts to color on the surface.
5. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and apples and cut them into thicker slices. There’s no need to slice them very thin, it’s important that they have volume so they don’t turn into puree after 2 hours of baking.
6. Remove the tray from the oven after 5 minutes and place the slices of potatoes and apples next to the meat, not on top.
7. Pour the dark beer over the meat and vegetables. There’s no need to cover completely, just enough liquid at the bottom of the tray.
8. Put the tray back in the oven at a moderate heat (medium temperature), and let everything bake for about 2 hours. From time to time (every 20-30 minutes), baste the meat with the juices that form in the tray, using a spoon or a small ladle. There’s no need to turn the meat.
9. In the end, the meat should be tender, easily pulling away from the bone, and the potatoes should be well cooked. If you want, you can leave the tray for a few more minutes at a higher temperature if you want a more pronounced crust.
Why I make the recipe often
I like that it doesn’t require complicated ingredients or steps. The shanks become tender without boiling them beforehand, and the potatoes and apples provide the right flavor, especially in combination with the dark beer. It’s the kind of recipe where you don’t have to stand by the oven all the time, just baste it from time to time. It’s also suitable for meals with more guests or when you want to cook something hearty without much effort.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. You can use a stainless steel, ceramic, or enamel tray, but make sure it’s deep enough so that the liquid doesn’t overflow when you pour in the beer.
2. Don’t skip the step with the onions under the meat, it helps a lot with flavor and moisture retention.
3. It’s easier to cut the apples and potatoes only after you put the meat in the oven while it’s browning for 5 minutes.
4. If you want more sauce at the end, you can add a little warm water to the tray halfway through the baking time.
Substitutions
- The shanks can be replaced with fresh hock (not smoked).
- If you don’t have dark beer, you can use blonde beer, but the final taste will be less intense.
- Oregano can be replaced with thyme or a little rosemary, but not all at once.
Variations
- You can add other root vegetables, such as carrots or parsnips, if you want more vegetables in the tray.
- For a different flavor, you can put 2-3 whole garlic cloves, uncrushed, among the potatoes.
Serving ideas
- It goes well served with a simple salad (cabbage or pickles).
- The sauce from the tray can be strained or used as is, poured over the meat.
- Leftovers can be sliced and put in sandwiches with homemade bread.
Frequently asked questions
1. Do I need to boil the shanks beforehand?
No, in this recipe, they are not boiled beforehand. They are cooked completely in the oven, in beer and steam from the tray.
2. Can I cook with smoked hock?
The recipe is designed for fresh meat. With smoked hock, the taste will be different and quite salty, so I do not recommend it.
3. What type of dark beer is suitable?
Any classic dark beer from the store will work. It doesn’t have to be a special one. A 500 ml bottle is sufficient.
4. How do I know when the meat is done?
The meat should be tender, easily pulling away from the bone, and the potatoes should be soft when pierced with a fork.
5. Can I use a heat-resistant glass tray?
Yes, that works too, just make sure it’s not too thin, so it doesn’t break when pouring in the hot liquid.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for an average serving (1/4 of the recipe):
Calories: 550-600 kcal
Proteins: 30-35 g
Fats: 35-40 g
Carbohydrates: 20-25 g
The values depend greatly on how fatty the meat is and the amount of sauce absorbed by the potatoes and apples. The beer adds some carbohydrates, but some evaporate during baking. It’s a hearty dish, with enough protein and fat, suitable for main meals.
Storage and reheating
The meat keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days, stored in the tray or in a lidded container. It can be reheated in the oven at medium temperature, covered with foil so it doesn’t dry out. The potatoes and apples change texture after cooling, but can be consumed without problems. I do not recommend freezing, as both the meat and vegetables become quite dry upon thawing.