Pork Shanks

For brining shanks:

2 cups apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup kosher salt
3 Tablespoon mustard seed
1 ½ Tablespoons whole allspice
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
3 whole cloves
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3 inches of cinnamon stick
4 dried chiles, such as chiles de arbol, lightly crushed

 

4 pork shanks, scored in a crosshatch pattern
3 pounds pure lard
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
1 handful of mixed thyme and rosemary sprigs
 

In brining bucket, combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, spices, chiles – sir until sugar and salt dissolve.

Add pork shanks to bucket and rub in marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight – no more than 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 250 F.

Remove shanks and rise well.

Melt lard in casserole over moderate heat until it reaches 250 F.

















Then, arrange shanks in lard so they are completely submerged. Nestle garlic and thyme/rosemary in lard.

















Place lid on casserole.

Transfer casserole to the oven and cook shanks for 3 to 3 ½ hours – until meat is very tender.

Remove from oven and let shanks cool in lard for 15 minutes.

 

Transfer shanks to rack set over baking sheet.

Can be done in advanced up to here.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place shanks in oven to heat and crisp up cracklings – may take 20 minutes and may have to turn shanks.

Or, deep fry them. To do this, filter lard through a coffee filter and place back in clean pot. He 
 
 
at to 350F and deep fry for 7 minutes.