As I continue in my vain attempt to lure people away from Austria’s ubiquitous schnitzels, literally boring the vegetables off restaurant plates across the country, this one is definitely for the carnivores out there. Ladies & Gents, I introduce to you the Viennese ‘Stelze‘, i.e a pork knuckle to you and me.
Yes, this is the long overdue follow up to my post on Austrian food, dedicated to those seeking inspiration on what else to order in this country. I’ve long been recommending these pork knuckles to my guests on my kayak, hiking and wine tours in Vienna, as not only are they a big part of local culture, but they taste damn good.
So here’s everything you never wanted to know about the Stelze, as I go deep into what this thing is, where to eat it, and why. As I’m so committed in my fight against Schnitzel, I’ll also share a few recommendations of Vienna food tours to consider, which may hopefully draw you away from those dry, tasteless boreathons…
What is a Stelze?
The dish in question is called a ‘Stelze’ in Austria, or a ‘Schweinshaxe’ in Germany. Basically, this is a huge pork knuckle, which is first boiled with caraway seeds to produce tender salty meat before then being roasted in a very hot oven to crisp up the skin and create the most amazing salty crackling.
A Stelze is typically served with a couple of pieces of very dry sourdough bread, and some small servings of grated horseradish, and one or two mustards for dipping. Word to the wise – the grated horseradish is definitely NOT shredded mozzarella, so don’t make the same mistake as my brother by helping yourself to a large spoonful on its own – horseradish has the same effect as wasabi!
What should I order with a Stelze?
One of these bad boys is easily enough to share between two people, and if you don’t eat that much, you could even share one Stelze between three. If however, you’ve worked up an appetite after kayaking on the Old Danube, then be my guest and order one all for yourself.
Expect to pay around €22, including the basic extras (mustard, horseradish and bread) which typically come as standard. However, I’d give the bread a miss and supplement your order with fries, potato salad, maybe a rosti with garlic puree, or a side of sauerkraut. I recommend sauerkraut as its acidity cuts through the fattiness of the meat perfectly.
Looking around you as you eat, you’ll notice that it is compulsory to eat a Stelze while consuming copious amounts of beer and intermittently smashing beer glasses together with your Freunde.
WHERE in Vienna is famous for them?
You can find pork knuckles all over Vienna, but perhaps the most traditional spot to eat one is the old imperial hunting grounds, and modern day theme park, Prater, in Vienna’s 2nd district.
The Prater park itself is definitely worth a visit while you’re in Vienna regardless of whether you’re a pork fiend or not. It usually has a fun summer vibe due to all the amusement rides and generally happy and smiling children milling around, which makes for a nice change from Vienna’s somewhat more dour adult population.
There are also lots of green spaces around there to enjoy, the ultra-modern architecture of Vienna’s University of Economics, and one of Vienna’s most famous landmarks – the Riesenrad (big wheel). Anyway, back to where you can get your filthy mitts on this heart attack on a plate…
Which restaurant serves the best pork knuckle in Vienna?
My first ever Stelze in Vienna was at Zum Englischen Reiter (the English Rider). This is a traditional Austrian restaurant with loads of indoor and outdoor seating located right in the middle of the amusement park, among the rides.
Just over the road from there is also the Schweizerhaus, which can be best described as a culinary machine. It is extremely busy here throughout spring and summer, but because it is so vast you can usually find a table, as so many people are constantly coming and going. The Schweizerhaus is also where many football fans congregate before the national team plays its games so it generally has a lively, almost Oktoberfest style beer hall atmosphere, yet most of it is outdoors.
A stone’s throw from the Schweizerhaus, you’ll also be able to sniff out a Stelze at Kolariks Luftburg Restaurant. All three of these establishments are guaranteed to give you meat sweats, and to be honest, with such a voluminous and industrial dish, there isn’t too much difference in terms of which spot serves up the best pork knuckle in Vienna, but if I was forced to choose, I’d probably go for Zum Englischen Reiter.
How else to avoid schnitzel: do a food tour!
If you aren’t bowled over by the idea of consuming so much meat on ethical, dietary, or coronary grounds, then, no worries, cos I have plenty of other recommendations for what to eat in Vienna.
For a good overview of Vienna’s food scene, then check out this Tastes of Vienna food tour which takes you to some locations and districts that you wouldn’t find on your own, including the much less visited 10th and 16th districts.
And for all you dessert heads out there, then indulge your sugar cravings on the Vienna Dessert Tour, where you’ll be able to consume enough chocolate, pasties and sweet treats to sink a ship.
Also, check out Eat With, as they link passionate local cooks with visitors by cooking for them in their own homes. It’s a cool way to meet local people, become friends, and to learn about the food culture from proper locals.
For those of you that wanna learn a how to cook the Austrian classics of schnitzel and apple strudel, then level up your skills by joining an Austrian Cooking Class where you’ll be preparing a 3-course meal with a local chef.
THE VIENNESE STELZE: OUTRO
The Austrian pork knuckle or ‘Stelze‘ is well-known among locals, yet easily missed by foreign tourists, so I wanted to feature it here.
A couple of minor caveats: 1) don’t expect great (or even good) service at the places mentioned above – the waiters tend to be very busy (not that that should ever be an excuse), and you may have to wait a while to get your order off (especially at the Schweizerhaus); 2) on occasion some parts of the meat around the edges of the knuckle can dry out and become a little tough due to the roasting process.
So go to the Prater, eat your pork knuckle, drink your beer and experience a big part of Viennese life! And, like I said, joining one of those Vienna food tours is a good way to understand how Austrians eat, so if you want even more meat and potatoes, then you’re defo onto a winner.
By now, you probably need a good long alpine hike to burn off those calories, so if you need transport to get up there, check out my post on car hire in Austria.
Until next time, you animals!
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