Few people know that the roasted pork knuckle is one of my favourite dishes. I rarely mention it, as it is uncommon in the UK and is something I would usually have to travel to London or Europe for.

It is a simple but impressive dish, commonly eaten in Germanic and West Slavic countries. It is made from a hock of pork which is slow roasted and served as a giant portion, with some sauerkraut, mashed potato, and a whole load of crackling. I used to eat it every day in the beer halls during my numerous trips to Germany and I miss it all the time.

When I caught wind that pork knuckles were on the menu during my previous visit to the Polonia Club, I squealed in excitement. This is the only place in Cambridge you can get a roasted pork knuckle, making it a real foodie find. I was absolutely pumped to try it, as I haven’t had the dish in years!

Ordering & price

The dish costs £49.50 for two people and requires 24 hours notice but this shouldn’t be any trouble, as you can request it in the notes when you book your table on their website. 

The presentation

It comes served with both knuckles on one glorious plate. You also get your choice of two side portions from their menu included in the price, along with mustard and horseradish sauce.

The pork knuckles

The pork itself was gargantuan, with a combined weight of 800g between the two. Both came with a large layer of crackling over the entire knuckle. 3/4 of the crackling was well cooked and beautifully crispy but the rest was unfortunately a little fatty and soft.

The pork inside was gorgeous and just fell off the bone as I pulled it with my fork. It had a real succulent juiciness to it that reminded me of being back in the beer halls of Germany. The mustard was lovely and thick with a real spicy punch that really brought the dish to life.

This is a truly incredible dish – a pork lovers paradise!

The side portions

For our two sides, we picked mashed potatoes and steamed sauerkraut but you also have options to order rice, rustic bread and a few other things.

The mash had a nice fluffy texture and was garnished with herbs. The sauerkraut was tangy and sour, as you would expect from sauerkraut but it was not overly sharp, likely due to the fact it was steamed. I generally prefer a hard hitting and potent sauerkraut, however, I appreciate that steaming it not only makes it more accessible but also allows it to work well with the other flavours on the plate, rather than dominating them. 

Both side portions were a little small and ran out half way through eating the pork knuckle. An extra 50% would have likely been a better balance and it meant we were eating pork on its own for a large part of the meal. I recommend ordering an extra side or two, depending on your budget.

Beer

It was also great to see a wide selection of Polish beers, to get you into the beer hall spirit. I couldn’t see any actual “craft beers” but there was definitely a wide choice to choose from.

Conclusion

🅿️ free private parking around the back! 👍

What a blast from the past!

What a dish!

Needless to say, my guest and I left feeling very full and satisfied. No doubt I’ll be sweating pork for days. This is a truly unique dish for Cambridge and if you are looking to try something a little different, meat heavy, and served in a huge portion, then Polonia Club is the place to go.

We both agreed that the roasted pork knuckle is also great value for two people, especially since it includes two sides within the price.

Thanks for reading!