Ingredients
- 4 pork shanks
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tot juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups water (you can also replace one of the cupes of water with a cider)
- For the apples:
- 6 red apples, quartered (pips and stalks removed)
- 1 tot olive oil
- 1 tot honey
- 2 tots water
- 3 small cinnamon sticks
Method
- Put everything into a large potjie. The liquid should just cover the pork, so add extra water if necessary.
- Put the potjie over a hot fire, then cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Simmer (it mustn’t boil rapidly) for 2½–3 hours, then take it off the fire. You want the meat nice and soft but not falling off the bone. You should check on the meat during this time as it might be ready sooner; this is not an exact science.
- Use braai tongs to lift the cooked pork hocks out of the potjie, shake off the liquid and then generously salt them (smoked hocks will generally be very salty already, and will not need any extra salt).
- Now for the braai: You’ll need an open grid as a hinged grid won’t close over the hocks. Braai for about 10 minutes in total over hot coals until they are nicely browned on all sides. Remember, the meat is already cooked so you just want to give it some crunch, colour and flavour.
- Just before your start to braai your shanks over the coals, start with your apples so that they will be just ready in time.
- Prepare your apples by slicing in quarters and removing the core of the apples, but leave the skin.
- Place the apple slices into your potjie, season with honey and olive oil. Add the cinnamon and water.
- Place the lid on the potjie and the potjie on the coals over medium heat for about 20 minutes until the apples are soft and fragrant. Check the apples to see if you need to add more water or if the coals are too hot.
- Serve your shanks immediately with your sweet and sticky apples
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