Czech-Style Roasted Pork Knuckle (Veprovo Koleno)
Unusual, incredibly tasty, and perfect for a festive table! Czech-style roasted pork knuckle is a pork hock baked in the oven after first being simmered in dark beer with spices. It takes quite a bit of time, so it’s best made for special occasions. Serve it with horseradish, mustard, and braised cabbage.
Updated : 15 December, 2025
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
1.5 kilograms
Pork knuckle
1 liter
Beer
1
Onion
1
Carrot
5
Garlic
2
Hot chili pepper
2
Laurel leaf
3
Cloves
8
Peppercorns
5
Allspice
to taste
Salt
Glaze
1 tablespoon
Honey
1 tablespoon
Mustard
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How to roast Czech-style pork knuckle (veprovo koleno)? Prepare the ingredients. Choose a medium-sized pork knuckle for this dish and make sure it has more meat than fat. Wash the carrot and pat it dry.
Step 2
Rinse the pork knuckle well under running water. Scrub the skin with a brush to remove any dirt. If there are any bristles left, singe them over a gas flame. Peel the onion and carrot and cut them into quarters. Peel the garlic cloves. Place the pork knuckle into a large pot. Add the chopped vegetables, bay leaf, spices, seasonings, and salt. Pour in the beer. The knuckle should be submerged about halfway in the liquid. If there isn’t enough beer, top up with a little water.
Step 3
Put the pot with the knuckle over low heat. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and cook the knuckle for about 1 hour over low heat (adjust according to your stove).
Step 4
After an hour, remove the lid and turn the knuckle over to the other side so it cooks evenly. Cover the pot again and leave it to cook for another hour.
Step 5
Prepare the ingredients for the glaze.
Step 6
In a separate bowl, mix together the honey and mustard.
Step 7
Place the cooked pork knuckle into a baking dish. Pour a little of the broth from the pot (the one used for cooking the meat) into the bottom of the dish.
Step 8
Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the boiled knuckle with the honey-mustard glaze.
Step 9
Roast the knuckle in the oven at about 180 °C (around 355 °F) for roughly 1 hour, until it develops a beautiful golden-brown crust. Adjust the time according to your oven. Check the meat from time to time and brush it with more honey–mustard glaze once or twice during baking.
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