The History of Schweinshaxe

This historically peasant like food has become one of the most celebrated foods of Germany that has become a quinessential part of Oktoberfest in Germany.
For good reason it is a fun, and incredible presentation !

In the Munich Oktoberfest they sold over 80, 259 Schweinshaxe in 2014!

Why is this dish so special?

The pork haxe has all the great elements of slow roasted meat
to a buttery tender texture with the bone and joint that has so many goodies in it.
To top it off it has the nice skin that you roast crispy to the cracling state. A
truly great combination of flavors and textures.

What does the word Schweinshaxe mean ?

Schweins = pig, Haxe = Shank or Leg or Knuckle

Why Pig over Beef?

A German New Year Card that wishes a good luck with 4 leaf clovers and pigs!
So pigs are a good luck symbol not beef.

Why do some German's
call it an "ice Bone" (Eisbein)?

In Northern Germany this Pork Hock is called Eisbein
which means Ice Bone.

The Hock is white so looks like snow. It also is prepared during the cold months.
It is then brined in salt, water and a Pickling salt called "Prauge Powder" and some spices for a few days to a few weeks. Then simmered on water with spices and served right out of the pot or you can crisp up the skin.

Medieval ice skates made of bone on display at the Museum of London.
Photo by Steven C Johnson

One the bones in this cut is perfect to make ice skates, which
before cars and public transportation was a good way to get around
in winter in Northern Germany.

These aren't bone skates but it shows that the postman
use to deliver by skating. Also goods and services were transported
with the bone skates.
Why Bone?
Because it had a natural waxy substance that made it glide well
on ice.

More about ice skating with bone skates here.

Eisbein is a wonderful dish and made famous by the city of Berlin.
If I was going to get the best their is, I would go to this restaurant in Berlin,

photo by Bernt Rostad

Zur Letzten Instanz the restaurant website and menu.

Interesting,
I heard that in the simmering liquid they use as one of the seasoning agents, blueberries.

Here is a great article obout the restaurant
https The Gaurdian Article about Zur Letzten Instanz

Go to Berlin!

Booking.com

 

There are 4 haxen on a pig, looks like the forearm and the thigh with bone.

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Recipes

Schweinshaxe

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Berliner Eisbein

 

 

Pork Knuckles and Weisswurst: MUNCHIES Presents Oktoberfest This is an excellent video showing the great foods at the Munich Oktoberfest, including the Schweinshaxe towards the end of the video.

 

 

 

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