Stinco di maiale arrosto / Roast pork shank

Portion for 2-3:

• 2 pork shanks
• 2 garlic cloves
• a small glass of white wine
• some fresh rosemary
• a few leaves of fresh sage 
• 1 generous tablespoon of honey (optional)
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Preheat the oven to 170-180 C.

Heat up a couple of tablespoons of olive in a pot (that will accommodate tightly your pork shanks and is suitable for cooking in the oven).

Season the meat with some salt and black pepper and fry gently for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Add the peeled and crushed garlic cloves, sage and rosemary sprigs into the pot. Fry all together for just 2-3 minutes allowing the garlic and herbs release some of their aroma.

Now pour in the wine and wait until one minute or so allowing some of the wine to evaporate.

If using the honey now is the time pour it over the the shanks, alternatively add the honey if you decide to roast them for a few minutes without the lid on towards the end.*

Put the lid on an put the pot into the preheated oven. 

Bake for about 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the size, turning the shanks once or twice during cooking and basting them with their juices.

The stinco is ready when it has turn nicely golden brown in colour and you can peel the meat off the bone very easily. 

*If you would like to add more crunchiness and brown the meat even more, finish the meat off in the oven without the lid until the desired effect.

**Personally I like to roast the shanks a day earlier and then heat them up in the oven with the lid on, removing the lid for the last few minutes or to brown them off.