Table of Contents >> Show >> Hide
- What Is Golonka, Exactly?
- Flavor Profile: Why the “Beer-Honey” Combo Works (Even Alcohol-Free)
- Polish Ham Hocks (Golonka) Recipe Card
- Pro Tips for Crispy Skin and Juicy Meat
- Serving Ideas (Classic and Slightly Chaotic)
- Storage, Leftovers, and Reheating
- FAQ
- Experience Notes: What Cooking Golonka Feels Like (and What You Learn the First Time)
- Final Thoughts
If you love food that looks like it should arrive with a fanfare (or at least a drumroll and a cold fizzy drink),
meet golonka: Poland’s gloriously hearty pork hockslow-cooked until tender, then roasted until the skin turns
bronzed and crackly, and finished with a sticky-sweet glaze.
Traditionally, many golonka recipes use beer in the glaze. Because beer is an age-restricted ingredient, this version uses
non-alcoholic beer (or an easy alcohol-free swap) to get that classic malty depth without the alcohol.
The result still hits the same notes: savory pork, gentle sweetness from honey, a little tang from mustard, and a glossy finish that makes
your dinner guests suddenly become very “available” to help carve.
What Is Golonka, Exactly?
Golonka is the Polish name for the pork hock (also called pork knuckle or ham hock, depending on the cut and your
butcher’s mood). It’s the lower part of the pig’s legloaded with connective tissue that turns silky and succulent when cooked low and slow.
That’s why the best golonka isn’t rushed: you simmer (or braise) first for tenderness, then roast to crisp the skin and caramelize the glaze.
Front hock vs. rear hock
You’ll often see different sizes. Rear hocks are usually bigger and meatier; front hocks can be smaller. Either works, but cooking time can vary.
Pick hocks that feel hefty for their size and have a nice layer of skinbecause crispy skin is the whole point of being alive.
Flavor Profile: Why the “Beer-Honey” Combo Works (Even Alcohol-Free)
In classic preparations, beer brings maltiness and gentle bitterness that balances honey’s sweetness. Non-alcoholic beer still delivers those malty,
toasted notes, especially darker NA styles. Add mustard for tang, garlic for backbone, and you get a glaze that tastes like it belongs on a festival table.
Best alcohol-free “beer” options
- Non-alcoholic dark lager (great malty depth)
- Non-alcoholic amber (balanced, slightly toasty)
- Non-alcoholic stout/porter (richer, more roastyuse less honey if it’s very sweet)
No NA beer?
Use a “malt-forward” combo: beef or chicken broth + a splash of apple cider vinegar + a pinch of brown sugar.
It won’t be identical, but it will still create a glossy, savory-sweet glaze that plays beautifully with pork.
Polish Ham Hocks (Golonka) Recipe Card
Yield, Time, and Difficulty
- Serves: 4 (2 large hocks) or 2 very determined people
- Total time: About 3.5 to 4.5 hours
- Active time: 25–35 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy-to-medium (mostly patience)
Ingredients
For the simmer (tenderizing + flavor base)
- 2 large pork hocks/ham hocks (about 2–3 lb each), rinsed and patted dry
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, cut into big chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into big chunks (optional but great)
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional, very “Central Europe”)
- 1–2 tsp kosher salt (start light; you can adjust later)
- Water, to cover
For the beer-honey style glaze (alcohol-free)
- 3/4 cup non-alcoholic beer (dark or amber is ideal)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (or spicy brown)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional but awesome)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 2–4 tbsp reserved simmering liquid (for extra body)
Optional “make it extra” finish
- Rye bread, sauerkraut, mustard, horseradish, boiled potatoes or dumplings
- Chopped parsley for a little green dignity
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven (big enough to hold the hocks)
- Roasting pan or deep baking dish
- Foil
- Small saucepan (for glaze)
- Instant-read thermometer (highly recommended)
- Sharp knife (for scoring the skin)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1) Simmer the hocks until tender
-
Place the pork hocks in a large pot. Add onion, carrots, celery (if using), garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, caraway (if using),
and a light hand with salt. - Add cold water to cover the hocks by about 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a low simmer.
-
Simmer partially covered for 2 to 3 hours, turning the hocks once or twice, until the meat is tender and loosens from the bone.
(Time depends on size.) -
Remove hocks carefully. Let them cool for 10–15 minutes so you can handle them without practicing modern dance in oven mitts.
Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
2) Dry and score for better crisping
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Pat the hocks very dry with paper towels. Dry skin = crisp skin. Damp skin = sadness.
-
Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a shallow crosshatch/diamond pattern. Aim to cut through skin and some fat,
but not deep into the meat. This helps fat render and gives the glaze more edges to cling to.
3) Make the beer-honey style glaze (alcohol-free)
-
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together NA beer, honey, mustard, vinegar, garlic, paprika (if using), pepper,
and 2–4 tbsp reserved simmering liquid. - Simmer 5–8 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened (like a glaze that means business).
4) Roast, glaze, and baste
- Place hocks in a roasting pan. Add a splash of reserved cooking liquid to the bottom of the pan to prevent burning (2–4 tbsp is enough).
- Roast for 25 minutes to start drying and crisping the skin.
-
Brush generously with glaze and roast another 20 minutes.
Brush again, then roast 10–15 minutes more, basting once or twice, until deeply browned and lacquered. -
If you want more crackle, you can finish with a brief 1–3 minute broilbut watch closely so it doesn’t go from “caramelized”
to “campfire memory.”
5) Rest and serve
- Rest 10 minutes before serving so juices stay where they belong.
-
Serve with sauerkraut, boiled potatoes, dumplings, rye bread, mustard, and horseradish.
Spoon a little pan glaze over the meat right before eating.
Food Safety and Doneness Notes
Pork is considered safe at 145°F with a rest, but a pork hock has tons of connective tissue.
For the “fall-apart tender” texture most people want with golonka, you’ll often prefer it cooked higherthink
185–195°F in the thickest meaty partbecause collagen needs time and heat to melt into gelatin.
Translation: safe is not the same as butter-tender. You can be safe and still chew like you’re training for a jawline contest.
Simmering first fixes that.
Pro Tips for Crispy Skin and Juicy Meat
Dry the skin like it owes you money
After simmering, surface moisture is the enemy. Pat dry thoroughly. If you have time, let the hocks sit uncovered in the fridge for 1–4 hours
to air-dry even more. Drier skin browns faster and crisps better.
Score shallow, not reckless
Scoring helps fat render and creates more crispy edges. Keep cuts shallow so the meat doesn’t dry out before the skin finishes.
Balance the glaze
If your honey is very sweet, add a touch more vinegar. If your mustard is intense, add 1–2 tsp extra honey. Glaze should taste bold
because pork hock is rich and not shy.
Serving Ideas (Classic and Slightly Chaotic)
Classic Polish-style plate
- Sauerkraut (warm or chilled), plus a little caraway
- Boiled potatoes with butter and dill
- Rye bread for chasing the last bits of glaze
- Mustard and/or horseradish for sharp contrast
Game-day “gólonka sliders”
Pull the meat from the bone, chop it roughly, toss with a spoonful of glaze, and pile it onto small rolls with mustard and crunchy cabbage.
Your guests will ask what’s in it. You will say “love and patience” and accept your applause.
Storage, Leftovers, and Reheating
Storage
Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate in an airtight container. They’re best within 3–4 days.
Reheating without turning the skin into a sad raincoat
- Oven method: 350°F, covered with foil for 15–20 minutes, then uncover for 5–10 minutes to re-crisp.
- Air fryer method: Great for crisping pieces. Keep an eye on the glaze so it doesn’t scorch.
Leftover magic
The meat is incredible in bean stew, cabbage soup, fried potatoes, or tucked into a sandwich with mustard. The gelatin-rich juices
can be stirred into soups for instant “I simmered this all day” energy.
FAQ
Are ham hocks the same as pork knuckles?
They’re closely related cuts from the lower leg; naming can vary by region and butcher. For this recipe, you want a meaty hock with skin on,
suitable for simmering and roasting.
Can I skip simmering and just roast?
You can, but it’s harder to get tender meat without drying the exterior. Simmering first makes the outcome more reliableand you get flavorful stock.
What if my glaze burns?
Honey can scorch at high heat. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of reserved cooking liquid. You can also glaze later in the roast
(final 25–35 minutes) to reduce the risk.
What sides make this feel truly Polish?
Sauerkraut, potatoes (boiled or mashed), rye bread, mustard, and horseradish are a classic lineup.
Experience Notes: What Cooking Golonka Feels Like (and What You Learn the First Time)
The first time you make golonka, you think, “It’s just a ham hock. How dramatic can it be?” Then you lift one out of the pot and realize it’s the size
of a small bowling ball, gleaming and tender, and you immediately understand why this dish gets treated like a centerpiece.
Golonka doesn’t whisper. Golonka enters the room.
My biggest lesson: the simmer is where you win. If the simmer is too aggressive, the liquid clouds up, the aromatics get harsh,
and the hock can tighten. But a gentle simmerlittle bubbles, calm vibesturns that tough connective tissue into something that slices like butter.
The meat goes from “this might be a project” to “why is my fork doing all the work?”
Another surprise is how much drying the skin matters. It’s tempting to move straight from pot to oven, especially when you’re hungry
and the kitchen smells like garlic and bay leaf and good decisions. But if you take five minutes to pat the skin truly dry (and score it cleanly),
you’ll get that crackly, blistered texture that makes people hover near the cutting board “just to help.”
The glaze is its own little personality test. The first brush-on smells sweet, and you might worry it’ll be candy-like. But once it hits hot skin and
renders fat, the flavor shifts: honey turns to caramel, mustard sharpens everything, and the malty notes from non-alcoholic beer
(or the broth-vinegar swap) keep it from feeling one-note. The best moment is the second basting, when the surface goes glossy and dark and the edges
start to crisp. That’s the point when you stop “following a recipe” and start feeling like you’re running a tiny, delicious laboratory.
Serving golonka is also an experience, because it doesn’t behave like neat slices of roast pork. It’s more primal (in a cozy way): you carve off
big pieces, pull strands from around the bone, and let everyone build their perfect bite. Some people go heavy on mustard. Others chase sweetness
with extra glaze. Someone will definitely put it on rye bread and declare it “the best sandwich of my life” with complete sincerity.
If you’re cooking for a group, here’s a specific example that works every time: set out a small “toppings station” with mustard, horseradish,
sauerkraut, chopped pickles, and a bowl of warm pan glaze. People love customizing. It turns a hearty dish into a fun, interactive onelike a dinner
party version of “choose your own adventure,” except the adventure is always “more pork.”
And finally: golonka teaches patience in a way that feels rewarding, not preachy. The simmer takes time. The roast takes attention.
But the payoff is huge: tender meat, crispy skin, and a glaze that tastes like it belongs at a winter festival. It’s the kind of dish that makes
a regular dinner feel like an occasionwhether you’re serving it with classic sides or turning leftovers into next-day sandwiches that mysteriously
disappear from the fridge.
