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plate with slow cooked pork hocks served with sauerkraut.
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4.97 from 30 votes

Slow Cooked Pork Hocks

Meltingly tender slow cooked pork hocks with sauerkraut, a German classic recipe perfect for cooking in the slow cooker.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: German Main Course
Cuisine: German
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1035kcal
Author: Adina Beck

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 pork hocks total weight of about 3.3 – 4.5 lbs/ 1.5 – 2 kg
  • 1 large onion about 5.5 oz/ 150 g
  • 1 large apple about 7 oz/ 200 g
  • 1 tablespoon lard or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 can sauerkraut 28 oz/ 800 g, Note 1
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 cups beef or chicken stock, Note 2
  • fine sea salt and ground black pepper
US - EU

Instructions

  • Chop the onions and the apple, but keep them separated.
    1 large onion + 1 large apple
  • Cook on stove: Heat the lard or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Cook the onions on medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the apple and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
    1 tablespoon lard + onions + apples
  • Caramelize: Sprinkle the sugar on top and let it caramelize slightly for about 2 minutes.
    1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Combine: Add sauerkraut, bay leaves, caraway seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and a good pinch of salt. Mix well. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
    1 can sauerkraut + 4 bay leaves + 1 teaspoon caraway seeds + 5 black peppercorns + 3 cloves + pinch of salt
  • Add stock: Pour the stock over the sauerkraut and mix.
    2 cups beef
  • Rub the pork hocks with salt and pepper. Nestle them on top of the sauerkraut.
    fine sea salt and ground black pepper
  • Cook on low for 7-9 hours, turning the hocks halfway through. (Notes 3 and 4).
  • Serve with boiled potatoes, German bread, or potato dumplings.

Notes

  1. Sauerkraut: Either fresh (homemade or from the butcher's), from a can, jar, or bag. Search for a German product for genuine taste and texture. I recommend Mildessa/Hengstenberg.
  2. Stock: Use homemade or low-sodium stock; otherwise, the dish might turn too salty.
  3. Read the instructions for the slow cooker. Newer machines tend to be faster than the traditional ones, which still have a ceramic pot.
  4. Without the slow cooker: If you want to cook the dish without the slow cooker, check the blog post for instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 1035kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 104g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 333mg | Sodium: 2058mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g