Category: Eisbein

Eisbein (pronounced roughly “ice-bine”) is a classic German dish made from a cured (corned/pickled) pork knuckle or ham hock — the lower part of the pig’s leg between the knee/elbow joint and the ankle, rich in meat, fat, and connective tissue.

What It Is and How It’s Prepared

The cut is typically cured in a salt brine (often with spices like juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaves, allspice, mustard seeds, and sometimes a bit of sugar or nitrite curing salt) for a few days. This gives it a pinkish, ham-like color and savory, slightly salty flavor. It is then gently simmered or boiled for 2–3 hours (sometimes longer) with aromatic vegetables (onion, carrot, leek/celery) and spices until the meat is extremely tender and falls easily from the bone. The skin/fat layer remains soft and gelatinous rather than crispy.