Buncek – Ho, Ho, Hock!

One of the most versatile seasonal meat items, popular both in Zagreb and in many Central European national cuisines, is called buncek. As with numerous expressions in Zagreb culinary lingo, the word actually comes from the German for leg - Bein. Because buncek is actually ham hock, the lower part of the pig's leg, between the ham and foot. You'll see it hanging at butcher's shops on your local farmers' market, like a delicious edible Christmas stocking.  It can be fresh or smoked. We prefer slightly smoked, because the smell is irresistible, not to mention the flavour. You boil it or roast it. And there are many ways to enjoy it, so let's mention just a few most common incarnations of buncek.

“Find a hanging buncek at a butcher’s near you.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

The easiest approach to the ham hock is usually to boil it separately, in a pot with water, bay leaf, pepper corns, some onions perhaps, maybe even root vegetables. The key is to simmer it slowly, with patience. When it's done and tender, you have the material for a great wintertime meal. The simplest way is to slice it like ham and eat it with some pickles and horseradish sauce. Or add some cooked sauerkraut and restani krumpir (potatoes first boiled and then sautéed in fat with diced onion) and you have yourself a nice hearty dish. This combination you can often see served in mountain huts on Medvednica Mountain or at winter season street food huts. To make it a proper restaurant experience, I suggest the upscale Okrugljak, a bit more casual Mlinarica, or even Batak, the ever reliable chain of grill restaurants.

“Buncek as part of a hip street food sandwich.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

Speaking of Advent and all those huts with street food, a different, more modern take on buncek can be found at Meat the King stand on Strossmayer Square. Their yummy sandwich called Nasty with slowly roasted buncek served with coleslaw and relish is definitively one of the best foods you can find this year. On the same location, Mason Burgers and Stuff, originally from Istria, have prepared something for the local palate called Zagreb burger, combining baby beef, buncek, apple, cabbage and horseradish. If you want to try something more traditional, go to Lička kuća in Gajeva Street, where boiled buncek is served with the famous Lika potato and sauerkraut.

“Classic winter trio: buncek, sauerkraut and potato restani style.” Image credit: Batak Grill FB

Still, when it comes to traditional dishes, the absolute classic is bean stew with buncek. It's the king of all winter stews. Sure, you can use dried meats like smoked ribs, some bacon or sausages, but buncek is the jackpot, because you get not only the flavour but a lot of real meat, nice and tender, to boost the stew. Onion, garlic, root vegetables and beans is all you need. The old school way is to use roux for thickening, but nowadays the modern generation of health-conscious chefs prefer little tricks like mashing a part of the beans at the end of the cooking. Not enough carbs in it for you? You can always add some smaller type of pasta to the stew. Or if sauerkraut is added, it naturally prolongs the life span of the bean stew. Fill the biggest pot and you don't have to worry about preparing lunch for several days.

“Now, that’s a proper wintertime meal.” Image credit: Mostovi FB

The art of butchery has given us numerous forms of pork to feast upon, especially in this part of the world, but if something has winter written all over it – that's buncek. This doesn't mean it's forbidden to eat it in other seasons, same way there's nothing wrong with eating ice cream in winter, but winter without gnawing a juicy buncek here or there, that's just sad.

Header image credit: Domagoj Jakopović Ribafish

Author: Taste of Croatia / Morana Zibar