Rulka (рулька, roast pork knuckle)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •A wide heavy stockpot large enough to hold the knuckles
• •A roasting tray with a rack
• •A pastry brush
• •Kitchen paper for drying the skin

Instructions

1. 1

   Set the broth

   Put the pork knuckles into a wide heavy pot with the onions, carrots, halved garlic head, bay, peppercorns, allspice, coriander, salt, and beer or kvass. Add enough water to cover. Bring it slowly to a bare simmer, skimming the foam as it rises, then keep it gentle. Not a hard boil. You want the broth murmuring around the meat, not knocking it about.

2. 2

   Simmer until tender

   Cook the knuckles until a small knife slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance and the meat has begun to pull back from the bone. This usually takes about two and a half hours, but listen to the pot more than the clock. The smell will change from raw pork and spice to something round, garlicky, and settled.

   If the skin tears a little, don't panic. The roasting will still crisp the exposed edges, and those ragged bits are often the cook's payment.
3. 3

   Dry the skin

   Lift the knuckles carefully onto a rack set over a tray. Let them drain until the surface stops looking wet, then pat the skin very dry with kitchen paper. Salt the skin lightly. Dry skin is the difference between a good roast and a sulking one, so give it a few minutes of attention here.

4. 4

   Mix the glaze

   Stir the mustard, honey, sunflower oil, grated garlic, paprika, black pepper, and the spoon of brine if you're using it. The brine is a bit more modern, but I like the way it cuts through the pork. Brush the glaze over the meaty parts and into any folds, leaving some skin only lightly coated so it can blister.

5. 5

   Roast to crackle

   Roast at 220C until the skin tightens, darkens, and crackles when tapped with the back of a knife, then lower to 190C if the glaze is racing ahead. Turn the tray once or twice and brush with a little more glaze where the meat is exposed. You're looking for amber skin, sticky edges, and meat that trembles when you move the bone.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Rest the rulka for at least fifteen minutes before cutting. Bring it to the table whole if you can, with sour cabbage, horseradish or mustard, chopped dill, and something to catch the juices. Slice through the skin first, then pull the meat away in generous pieces. This is enough for eight guests or one hungry Ukrainian.

Chef Tips

• •Ask for pork knuckle or hock with the skin on. Front knuckles are often meatier and easier to fit in a home pot; back knuckles can be larger and more dramatic on the table.
• •The simmering is the step that won't forgive rushing. The roasting temperature can flex, the glaze can be adjusted, but the connective tissue needs time to soften before the skin can become crisp.
• •Use beer if you want a darker, maltier broth, or unsweetened kvass for a quieter sour note. Water alone works too; add a splash of sauerkraut brine to the glaze and keep going.
• •Save the cooking broth. Strain it, chill it, lift off the fat, and use it for cabbage soup, buckwheat, beans, or potatoes. A good pork broth should never go down the sink.
• •Serve sharp things beside it: sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, grated horseradish, mustard, or a jar of fermented tomatoes. Pork loves sourness because sourness keeps the next bite lively.

Advance Preparation

• •The knuckles can be simmered one day ahead, cooled in their broth, then dried and roasted before serving. This makes the celebration day much calmer.
• •For extra crisp skin, simmer the knuckles the day before and chill them uncovered after draining. Cold dry air tightens the skin beautifully.
• •Leftover meat keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Warm it gently with a splash of the cooking broth so it stays soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 320g)