Crispy Deep-Fried Pork Knuckle with Lemon and Thyme
Golden-brown pork knuckles marinated in zesty lemon-thyme, then deep-fried until crackling-crisp for a satisfying textural contrast. This Asian recipe, ready in about 145 minutes, pairs Pork knuckles, Lemon juice, Fresh thyme leaves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 580 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (907g) Pork knuckles
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, chopped Fresh thyme leaves
- 4, minced Garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 4 cups (950ml) Cooking oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse pork knuckles, pat dry, then toss with 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 3 tbsp lemon juice, and 2 tbsp chopped thyme. Marinate 2 hours at room temperature.
- Step 2: Heat 4 cups cooking oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Carefully add pork knuckles and fry 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.
- Step 3: Transfer to a wire rack over paper towels, drain 5 minutes, and serve immediately to maintain crunch.
